Once you have found your plot of land, check to see if it has been granted Outline Planning Permission (OPP) - this means that the local council have approved the land to become potential house development plots. Most plots will have OPP, but if they don't its advisable to apply for this before making any plans to build on the land as permission may not be granted.

---| Detailed Planning Permission |---

The next step is to contact your local council for the forms needed to apply for detailed planning permission (DPP). Once the forms have been received, complete them and send them to your local council, together with the correct fee. Applications can take between 6 & 10 weeks to obtain approval depending on your council.

---| Drawings Required |---

Location Plan at 1:1250 or 1:2500 with site outlined in red. This plan should show the direction of North and any adjoining land owned by the applicant must be edged with blue lines.

Site Plan at 1:500 or 1:200 showing the building in relation to site boundaries and any other buildings within the site. This should also show the spread, size, position & species of all trees within or just outside the surrounding area. Any new or altered access for vehicles or pedestrians should also be shown.

Elevations at 1:100 or 1:50 showing how the building will look, including if possible the type of materials used and their colour.

Floor Plans at 1:100 or 1:50 showing the proposed floor plan of each story of the building.

Most councils will send you a confirmation that they have received your application. Once processed, it will be displayed on a Planning Register that is accessible to any member of the public. Neighbours will be contacted and informed where they can see the details of your proposed building. In some cases, councils will show applications in a local newspaper.

---| Acceptance & Refusal |---

Your local council will decide whether there are any good planning reasons for refusing planning permission or for granting permission. They will not reject a proposal simply because many people oppose it. They will compare your plan to the current development plan for your area. The kind of planning issues they can also consider include potential traffic problems, the effect on amenity and the impact the proposal may have on the appearance of the surrounding area. Moral issues, the personal circumstances of the applicant or the effect the development might have on nearby property prices are not relevant to planning and will not normally be taken into account.

---| Time Scale |---

You should normally receive a decision between 6-10 weeks. If this has not happened, you should contact your council to investigate the status of your application.

---| If your plans are refused |---

You will be given a reason why your plans were not granted permission. You should ask whether changing your plans might make a difference. If your application has been refused, you may be able to submit another application with modified plans free of charge within 12 months of the decision on your first application. Alternatively, you may wish to consider appealing to the Secretary of State.

---| Building Control / Building Permission |---

In addition to Planning Permission (Outline and Detailed), you must also gain Building Control, or Building Permission. Planning and Building Permission are often confused, but are completely separate.

For your Self-Build project to achieve Building Permission, it must comply with Building Regulations. These are a series of legal requirements that apply to all new homes and specify the minimum standards that must be met.

Building Regulations include (but are not limited to) areas such as energy conservation, heating and ventilation, and access. Building control also stipulates the minimum structural requirements, for instance, the number and size of roof timbers for a given size roof, fire protection and the general health and safety of those who will use the building.

To obtain Building Permission, detailed plans showing all construction details of your project should be submitted to your Local Authority's Building Control department. Your architect will be able to advise you further on these requirements.

Disclaimer
This information is for general guidance only. If you require more specific guidance please contact your local council.