Pre-Application Advice for all other Developments

We are unable to offer refunds on our pre-application service once we have validated your request.

If you are planning on building new homes, converting your property into flats, building new employment spaces, or changing use, our pre-application advice service can help you.

For work to an existing dwelling please see our Householder Pre-Application Advice page.

How to apply

You can only apply by using our online form. You will be required to submit a location plan, details of your proposal together with an appropriate fee. Please note that only one scheme for each application can be submitted. Only the documents you submit with the form will be considered in providing the response.

We can provide different levels of advice depending on how much detail and support you want.

Level 1: 

• Desktop Assessment
• Full planning history for the site
• Consideration of relevant policies
• Any site constraints
• Officer opinion on proposal
• Guideline for validation requirements

A response will only be provided on what has been submitted. This level does not include a meeting, site visit or advice from internal specialists. This option cannot be used if your property is a Listed Building.

Level 2: 

• Desktop Assessment
• Full planning history for the site
• Consideration of relevant policies
• Any site constraints
• Officer opinion on proposal
• Guideline for validation requirements
• Officer Site visit (at their discretion)
• Consultation of relevant internal specialists

This level does not include a meeting. A response will only be provided on what has been submitted.

Level 3: 

• Desktop Assessment
• Full planning history for the site
• Consideration of relevant policies
• Any site constraints
• Officer opinion on proposal
• Guideline for validation requirements
• Officer Site visit (at their discretion)
• Consultation of relevant internal specialists
• Meeting with case officer (1hr Maximum)

A response will only be provided on what has been submitted.

Performance Planning Agreement (PPA)/Bespoke Pre-Application Service:

As part of its enhanced planning service, the Greater Cambridge Shared Planning Service offers the opportunity for applicants to enter into a Planning Performance Agreement (PPA). This sits alongside our existing pre-application advice service. A PPA is a project management tool which allows all parties to agree timescales, actions and resources for handling planning applications. To find out more please visit the Planning Performance Agreements webpage.

To optimise the design of your development, in addition to our pre-application advice, we also recommend submitting your proposal to the Greater Cambridge Design Review Panel of experts.

Charges for Developer Pre-Application Advice

All fees include 20% VAT.

The cost of the time we take to provide advice is not covered by the statutory fee for making a planning application. The charge covers our costs for providing the advice and so it is not met by council tax payers generally.

The scale of fees is based on the size of the proposal and the level of detail that is sought. 

How long does it take?

After you have submitted and paid for your request for pre-application advice, we will aim to acknowledge that we have received your application and tell you which case officer has been allocated to your case, within 5 workings days. When your pre-application has been acknowledged, we will aim to provide a written response within 4 weeks for Level 1 householder advice and 6 weeks for all other types of advice.

Disclosing information

The Greater Cambridge Shared Planning Service does not publicise details of pre-application discussions until a planning application has been submitted.

The advice we provide under this service is generally confidential until a related application is submitted and development proposals are publicly available. From January 2023 we automatically publish any advice we have provided once the related application is submitted. At that point there is normally no reason under any legislation to insist the advice is confidential. We may continue to receive requests for advice to be disclosed at earlier stages, which will need to be assessed individually under the legislation. If you think there are sufficient reasons under the legislation that your request and advice should remain confidential at those earlier stages please advise us in writing of the reasons at the time of your request. We will not respond at the time of your request but will take it into account when deciding whether to release information earlier than usual.