Planning Permission
(Also known as: Development control)
Planning permission covers what a building looks like, the impact it will have on the area and the rules are set and governed locally by the council’s development control team, national government guidelines and the Town and Country Planning Act 1990.
Contact Details:
Address: Duty Officer,
Development Control Service,
Ground Floor,
Civic Centre,
Southampton.
Postcode: SO14 7LS
Telephone: 023 8083 2603
Email: planning@southampton.gov.uk
Fax: 023 8083 2607
Details of service:
General principles about planning permission
In the most general terms, if you are materially altering the outside (appearance) of a building, planning a new building or changing the use of an existing building from say a home to a shop, you will need to submit plans for approval to the council’s Development Control team.
However, some alterations do not require permission and can be completed under the 'permitted development' regulations. These regulations allow the building of small conservatories and other small extensions for instance provided they are not outside of certain size limitations and conform to the rules laid down by parliament. Please note that even if you don't require planning permission, you will need to contact the council's Building Control section on Southampton (023) 8083 2558. More information on this can be found on our Permitted development page. Before beginning any work, you should talk to the duty Planning Officer or call our main telephone number, Southampton (023) 8083 2603 for further advice.
There is a fee charged for the process of obtaining planning permission but we do offer free information and advice on how to go about it and can look at your application before you submit it. Please see our 'Planning Advice' page for more details.
For an interactive look at what needs approval visit the planning portal, see links on right hand side of this page. These links will take you to interactive presentations that require Adobe 'Flash' player installed. Most computers come with this software but it is free if your PC doesn't have it.
For all matters relating to the Historic Environment pages - Listed Buildings, buildings in Conservation Areas, archaeology and Scheduled Monuments - follow the internal links on the right of this page.
Related FAQ's:
Planning Portal
Make an online planning application
Planning applications can be made and paid for online through the Planning Portal, which also contains information and guidance about planning topics. Please be aware that there is a 4 MB limit to file sizes of submitted plans, maps etc.
Planning reception at Gateway
All enquiries for development control can be made through the Gateway reception located on the ground floor of the Civic Centre.
1App
1App Application Form Download Page
Highways Development Control
Highways Developement Contol
The following information is of a technical nature and may be difficult to understand for some people. If you do find the information hard to follow, please call the planning help line on 023 8083 3952 or email the planning inbox with your question: planning@southampton.gov.uk
Planning - Enforcement
Planning Enforcement is a team of people who make sure that the planning laws are not broken and nothing is built unless the necessary permission is given.
Last updated: 27 May 2009
