How long does it typically take to hear from the planning authority?

[cowboy25]

I sent off for a pre application about two months ago now and apart from an automated email response I have not heard anything. How long could it take to hear back from my local planning authority? I'm not desperate to hear from them or anything but I'm just curious, could it take a year or so, a few more months, any idea? Its sort of important as I am building a Shepherds hut and if planning is denied I will alter the design of the hut somewhat to take account of this so I will need to know before long. 

[Daniel H]

iirc there are no statutory limits placed on planning departments, so they can take as long as they want. They might have set themselves a local ambition. Give them a call and ask - there's no harm.

[Bancroft]

If you've paid for a Pre-App they should have indicated how long it would take.  Nevertheless, if it's been over two months than I would certainly be on the phone to them to try and track down what's happening.

 

Planning departments are notoriously slow and unhelpful in most cases, and seem to try their best to be uncontactable.

 

if you're not getting anywhere with them I've found the best thing to do is call up and ask how you register a complaint about the planning department.  That seems to energise them.

 

Not the way it should be done but it's worked for me twice where everything else failed.

[kandgmitchell]

If you are building a shepherds hut would it be mobile? If it is, it could be a "chatte"l and hence not a planning matter. What are you going to use it for? I have a touring caravan on my property, that doesn't need planning permission, nor would a boat or my cars. 

 

If it's fixed would it be permitted development? Assuming it's use is incidental to that of the host dwelling, then subject to height and location it could well be PD. Just thinking........

[cowboy25]

1 hour ago, kandgmitchell said:

If you are building a shepherds hut would it be mobile? If it is, it could be a "chatte"l and hence not a planning matter. What are you going to use it for? I have a touring caravan on my property, that doesn't need planning permission, nor would a boat or my cars. 

 

If it's fixed would it be permitted development? Assuming it's use is incidental to that of the host dwelling, then subject to height and location it could well be PD. Just thinking........

I need planning as I plan to rent it out as holiday accomodation

[kandgmitchell]

Ah OK, well let's hope your local authority has a positive attitude to tourism in their district. Hope you're successful.

[MPx]

You've got your location set as "south west" which is a bit too vague for specifics.  Most of us have knowledge of just our local office.   Many are in deep doos.  They have too few officers.  Those there get over worked and leave making the situation worse.  In East Devon it got so bad in 2025 there were literally none left - I've no idea what sort of service people there get.  In South Somerset (where we are) they have a published schedule which suggests a decision within 8 weeks.  That's just puff like the 4 hour wait in A&E.  After 8 weeks I had great deal of trouble getting any info at all.  Once I'd gone round the houses a bit and involved local councillors I found out that our assigned officer had gone on long term sick and everyone else was so busy her cases weren't being reallocated so we just faced an indefinite wait.   After making a bit more fuss a decision was made 7 months after application.  The snag is, such decisions these days come with numerous conditions, and to discharge the conditions you have to make an application which goes into the same queue.  I'm happy to say that element is behind us now...but we bought our plot with extant outline planning permission at the end of 2023 and we will start the foundations on July 6th 2026.  Its a daft system and process for a country that professes to want to build more homes.

[cowboy25]

8 hours ago, MPx said:

You've got your location set as "south west" which is a bit too vague for specifics.  Most of us have knowledge of just our local office.   Many are in deep doos.  They have too few officers.  Those there get over worked and leave making the situation worse.  In East Devon it got so bad in 2025 there were literally none left - I've no idea what sort of service people there get.  In South Somerset (where we are) they have a published schedule which suggests a decision within 8 weeks.  That's just puff like the 4 hour wait in A&E.  After 8 weeks I had great deal of trouble getting any info at all.  Once I'd gone round the houses a bit and involved local councillors I found out that our assigned officer had gone on long term sick and everyone else was so busy her cases weren't being reallocated so we just faced an indefinite wait.   After making a bit more fuss a decision was made 7 months after application.  The snag is, such decisions these days come with numerous conditions, and to discharge the conditions you have to make an application which goes into the same queue.  I'm happy to say that element is behind us now...but we bought our plot with extant outline planning permission at the end of 2023 and we will start the foundations on July 6th 2026.  Its a daft system and process for a country that professes to want to build more homes.

That doesn't exactly fill me with confidence , I'm in Mid Devon