The Planning Process:
Most house extensions require planning permission and / or building regulation approval. If planning permission is not required, your local authority will confirm this in writing but usually charge a fee. We would advise that we obtain this confirmation and we will attend to the matter if you go ahead with the work. Planning applications take up to 8 weeks to be processed and planning permission lasts for 3 years. The planning application fee is £234. (England)

Building regulations:
Applications take up to 2 weeks to be processed and building regulation approval also lasts for 3 years. The initial plan check fee is £200. There will be an inspection fee to pay the council when you begin the work.

NB: It is not advisable to begin any building work until planning permission and building regulation approval has been granted or confirmation has been received that planning permission is not required.

Next, we submit all building regulation applications to Warrington Borough Council under the Government’s "Partnership Scheme". Once they have fast tracked the application and approved the plans, they are sent to your local authority where they will arrange to carry out the site visits.

The scheme does not cost you any additional money but allows us to work with one local authority building inspector. Sometimes planning applications are referred to the local development control committee and we will attend and speak in support of the application if requested to do so (at an additional cost). If you wish to speak in support of your own application you may do so, however, the committee will normally only allow one speaker for and against the application.

The planning permission and building regulation applications made to the relevant local authority will be submitted by Simon Mason Designs Ltd. acting as your ‘Agent.’ Therefore, all correspondence will be to Simon Mason Designs Ltd.

All planning permissions are conditional. Some conditions need to be discharged prior to the commencement of the work. It is your responsibility to discharge the conditions to the satisfaction of the local authority. We can apply for discharge of conditions at a typical rate of £80 per application. The council fee is £85 per application. It is your responsibility to ensure that the development is built using the approved planning and building regulation plans which we will supply you with.