What will the council do?

You should receive an acknowledgement of your application within a few days from the planning department. The planning staff will place it on the Planning Register at the council offices so that any interested member of the public can inspect it. They will also either erect a notice on/near the site or notify your neighbours. In certain cases, applications may also be advertised in a local newspaper. The council may also consult other organisations, such as the highway authority or the parish council (or community council in Wales).

The planning department might prepare a report for the planning committee, which is made up of elected councillors. Alternatively, the council may assign a senior officer from the planning department the responsibility for deciding your application on its behalf.