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Greater Cambridge Shared Planning

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Validation timescales

Validation is what the Council does to check that new planning applications are complete and have all the right supporting information. Validation does not cover whether proposals are acceptable in planning terms.

We will notify you as soon as your application has been validated.

All applications are currently being validated within 8 days

New planning applications, once validated, are normally uploaded to our online planning register within 5 working days. Once published, it is possible to: 

  • Find all drawings and documents related to any live application, including comments from other consultees. 
  • Comment on any live planning application. 
  • View the details of some historical applications. For older applications, we usually offer a historic file request service, however this service is temporarily suspended. We apologise for any inconvenience. 
  • Print or download a weekly list of applications received or decided, by parish. 

Major applications 

These should be decided within 13 - 16 weeks. See below. 

Major applications are defined in planning terms as: 

  • the winning and working of minerals or the use of land for mineral-working deposits 
  • waste development 
  • building ten or more dwelling houses on a site is 0.5 hectares or more and it is not known whether the number of dwelling houses is unknown 
  • creating a building or buildings where the floor space is 1,000 square metres or more 
  • the development site is one hectare or more 

Major applications could include outline, reserved matters or full applications. 

Major developments should be decided within 13 weeks of an application being received, unless the development is subject to an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA), in which case it should be within 16 weeks. 

In all cases an extension of time may be granted if agreed in writing by the applicant within the statutory period. 

Minor applications 

These should be decided within 8 weeks 

Minor applications (so not covered by Major applications) should be decided within 8 weeks of an application being received, unless an extension of time has been agreed in writing by the applicant within the 8-week statutory period. 

Listed building consent  

These should be decided within 8 weeks if they don’t need planning permission unless there has been an extension of time agreed in writing by the applicant within the 8 week statutory period. 

Prior Approval 

For certain classes of permitted development, it is necessary to apply to the Local Planning Authority for its 'Prior Approval; or to determine if its 'Prior Approval' is needed. The timescales for these to be decided are complex – refer to Planning Portal Prior Approval for more detail. 

Reserved matters 

Timescales for reserved matters applications are either 8 weeks or 13 weeks depending on whether the application is classed as a major or minor development – see above. 

Discharge of conditions 

These should be decided within 8 weeks 

Applications to discharge conditions should be decided within 8 weeks of an application being received, unless an extension of time has been agreed in writing by the applicant within the 8 week statutory period. 

Conditions (with some specific exceptions, including contaminated land and drainage conditions) can be "deemed discharged” if they are not determined within the 8-week statutory period; are not subject to an extension of time agreed in writing and; where the applicant has submitted a formal Deemed Discharge Notice within the required timescale. 

Non-material amendments  

These should be decided within 28 days of an application being received unless an extension of time has been agreed in writing by the applicant. 

Tree works  

Tree Preservation Order (TPO) tree work applications are decided in 8 weeks. 

Trees in a conservation area that are not protected by an Order are protected by the provisions in section 211 of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990. These provisions require a notification to be sent to the local planning authority, using a ‘section 211 notice’, 6 weeks before carrying out certain work on such trees, unless an exception applies. The work may go ahead before the end of the 6-week period if the local planning authority gives consent, or at the end of the 6-week period if the authority raises no objection. This notice period gives the authority an opportunity to consider whether to make a Tree Preservation Order on the tree.