Floor plans for Planning Permission

[GMM]

Having taken on a house in a conservation area, anything visible from the road requires planning permission (and the local Stasi would be on anyone who didn't like a ton of bricks given a chance). Going through the requirements, the one outstanding item I need is a floor plan. Not that I'm applying to change the layout at this stage, just cos rules is rules.

I'm hoping that someone here has been through this recently and can advise. I'm assuming that I don't need to have an architect, but guessing that the plans should look approximately architectural. I was thinking of trying to knock them up with Sketchup, but what level of detail do I need to include and how accurate do all the components have to be? For example, do all the wall thicknesses and door widths have to be scaled accurately? I just want to hit the balance between making it all too laborious and having the application sent back, so any tips or experiences gratefully received.

There seems to be surprisingly little information publicly available on any of this, although I might not have hit the magic combination of words for Google.

[PeterL]

Planning permission applications are in the public domain, which means you should be able to log onto your local planning authority's website (or any other) and view documents sent in, in support of applications.

If you do this you'll find the standard / level of detail / accuracy varies enormously to the point you'll wonder why you worried!

[GMM]

That sounds encouraging! Will take a look....

[Andrew Mawson]

[GMM]

Well - whatever works has to be the right way to do it, and a little inside knowledge is always a benefit.

I've sort of given up on the 'pros' as nobody local seems to return calls, emails etc. Given that the proposal is a no-brainer (famous last words), I'm doing my own in the interests of speed, to get half a chance of doing homework before the winter....though not spending =A31400 is a nice bonus!

[David WE Roberts]

As long as it is straightforward I would think that you would be O.K. with graph papaer and a soft pencil. If you put in the measurements and note "do not scale off this drawing" then as long as the planners can see clearly what you are doing you should be fine. Oh, and talk to your planners and ask them. They are often very reasonable people :-)

[PeterL]

Nope. It must be some while since you last submitted a planning permission application. All drawings must include a scale bar

Nope. That might have been the case some while ago, but most LPA's no longer offer 'face-to-face' pre-application consultation. Typically you are required to write in and pay a fee.

[David WE Roberts]

Strange - I've just received planning permission and the architect's drawings state in big letters "do not scale off this drawing" and do not include a scale bar.

There is also a requirement for the planning department to have a Duty Planner available to answer questions. We have not been charged for talking to the planners, nor for the visits by the planning officers to our house. Even if there is some charge for "face to face" meetings in some areas you can certainly ask questions by phone or email.

Which LPA are you referring to?

[PeterL]

Cornwall Council. And yours?

[GMM]

I'm sure they are reasonable people. Unfortunately, the only information I could get on the phone, which was just about the process, turned out to be completely wrong, so there seems little point in dealing with their frontline staff. I'm sure if I had unlimited time to argue my way through to the people who know, I could get plenty of good information....

[The Natural Philosopher]

I drew up a three view on Corel draw in colour and got my pllanning permisson with that.

Then I took THAT to an architect who turned it into Working dwarings.

I did have to ask him a few things first like, waht pitch angle I needed for a thatched roof, and how far above ground level a DPC would be and how high celings are generally.

Oh and I had to suss out a legal staircase and corridor widths for the interiors, bur really planning is about visual impact on the community and general size: its not about 'meeting building regulations' - that is what you need detailed drawings for.

[The Natural Philosopher]

oh, the guys that think wind turbines are a tourist attraction. Well there you go then Time to vote the swine out I'd say

[GMM]

Good point Dave, and I have done the full works for just that reason. It's a long slog though between that and a full set of detailed plans and I'd rather just give them the minimum. Ironically, the application is for roof work, so it's not easy to see what role the floor plan will play in the decision.....