Highways Pre-Application Advice Service and Charges

We welcome and encourage early discussion with developers and applicants prior to the submission of a planning application to the Planning Authority. 

Preliminary discussions result in better quality applications which stand a better chance of a successful outcome and helps speed up the decision-making process after submission.

Benefits of preliminary discussions

Pre-application advice provides developers/applicants with:

• an understanding of how the latest national and local guidance and policies will be applied to the highway and transportation aspects of the development
• an understanding of the level of any mitigation or works that will be sought
• the potential for reducing the time that professional teams spend working up the proposals
• an early indication of those proposals that may be completely unacceptable from the Council’s point of view
• written confirmation of the advice on highway and transportation that should be taken into consideration when submitting a subsequent application

Pre-Application procedure

The developer/applicant will be asked to submit the following information and agree the relevant fee for the required level of pre-application/highways and transportation advice from the Strategic Development team:

• site plans, including location, proposed access arrangements and illustrative layout of proposals
• site address and postcode
• development description including details of proposed access, provision, land uses / classification and size of unit, number/type of 
  dwellings, car / cycle parking provision etc
• confirmation of the existing use of the site, including planning application history, where appropriate
• scoping for Transport Statement/Assessment or a draft of these documents, if necessary
• any other information critical to the consideration of the proposal at this pre-application stage - for example, a speed survey may be required

When the developer/applicant has provided the Council with sufficient information to undertake an initial assessment for highways and transportation advice, the Highway Authority will consider the information submitted and attend a meeting (either on-line, in Council offices or on-site) with the developer/applicant and /or his consultants if necessary. 

A single response summarising the main issues will subsequently be sent. If additional written advice, meetings, or site visits are required, further charges will then be incurred.

Charges

Charges will be made in line with the charging schedules above. The charge will be made in addition to any other charges that may be made for other West Northampton Council services. 

Please note that all charges exclude VAT. Should the applicant wish to discuss alternative highway solutions/measures to those included in their planning application, then highway advice/pre-application discussions may also need to take place following a formal recommendation of refusal to the LPA.

These would be charged at the normal pre-application advice rates as shown in the schedule of fees. The Council will issue an invoice for the highways and transportation advice, based on the size of the development and the level of advice required.

Response times for Highway and Transportation advice

Written responses will be sent to the developer/applicant within 20 working days of receipt of the required information and the pre-application fee. If a meeting is required a response will be sent within 10 working days of the meeting. 

Response times for review of Transport Assessments/Statements/more complex submissions will be agreed on a case-by-case basis.

Written responses will not be advice to the developer on how to secure planning permission for the proposals. The response will provide an indication of how the Council, as consultee on highway and transportation matters, is likely to view the proposals when submitted on a formal basis.

The highway and transportation advice will be provided without prejudice to the Council’s final formal response on any future planning application. 

The Highway Authority’s formal recommendations to a planning application will be made after consideration of all the application information and following more detailed assessment.

The final decision on any planning application will be taken by the planning authority. Please note that all costs exclude VAT, which will be charged at the appropriate rate at the time the service is provide.

Contact us

All Highways Pre-Application enquiries should be sent to [email protected].

Last updated 19 September 2024