Before applying for planning permission, you can speak with a planning officer to help answer any questions you have.
We offer 15 minutes of free advice with a planning officer for householder and small business enquiries. They can help with:
- the early stages of your planning application (usually before having had plans drawn up)
- questions about a particular aspect of planning, including questions about permitted development
This service is not for planning agents or developers. Please visit our developers page if you need more information.
Appointments for our Householder and Small Business Planning Advice are limited and typically fill up quickly.
It is possible you could avoid making an appointment by visiting the Common Projects page on the Planning Portal. The portal has information on typical homeowner building projects.
The appointment cannot be used to discuss multiple questions. To keep the appointment to 15 minutes, the officer will only deal with the question asked when the appointment was booked.
Please read both the sections before you about what the appointment can, and cannot, be used for before booking a phone call with a planning officer.
What we can advise on
The advice service can be used to discuss:
- simple extensions (typically these would be of single storey or no bigger than 40m2. For larger, more complex or multiple extensions at the same property, please use our Pre-application advice service
- construction of new garages or outbuildings, or conversions of existing garages or outbuildings
- construction of the following:
- conservatory or porches
- private swimming pool
- dormer window(s)
- roof alterations
- solar panels and other renewable energy measures such as air source heat pumps
- cycle shelters
- questions about garden or boundary walls and fences
- conditions that have been attached to a householder planning permission
- advice on old planning applications or permitted development (including properties in conservation areas)
- for small businesses, you can use the Householder and Small Business Planning Advice for business development queries, including a change of use or an extension to business premises up to 100m2. For larger businesses, please use our Pre-application advice service
- to alter or extend a Council-owned property, including garden or boundary walls or fences. You will first need permission from either South Cambridgeshire District Council Housing our Cambridge City Housing before contacting the Householder and Small Business Planning Advice service
What we cannot advise on
The advice service cannot be used to discuss:
- how householder planning applications are assessed (please refer to our step-by-step guide to permissions webpage)
- multiple extensions to the same property
- any changes to a listed building. Find out more about listed buildings on our Historic Environment page
- requesting written response or documentation
- making or taking payment for any planning service
- the discharge of any planning conditions on a decision notice
- enforcement enquiries
- the agreeing of any minor amendments to planning permissions
- the technical merits of applications, refusals or appeals
- providing an opinion on whether planning permission would or would not be given
- assistance with using the Planning Portal, please use the Planning Portal’s customer service helpline on 0333 323 4589 or email support@planningportal.co.uk
- questions related to trees or tree protection orders. Please refer to our trees and hedgerows pages
- combined business/residential combined developments
- new or altered vehicle access
Any advice provided is informal and provided in good faith, based on the information and evidence made available at the time. Such advice is the individual opinion of the Officer and is not a formal decision of the Greater Cambridge Shared Planning service.