Apply for planning permission

Before you apply please make sure you have read, understood and complied with:

How to prepare a valid planning application

We have produced a series of guidance below, setting out how to fill in/create documents, along with some best practice examples:

In summary, to make a valid application, we request the following documents:

  • Location Plan (at a scale of 1:1250 or 1:2500 - please specify) with a red line boundary
  • Site/Block Plan (at a scale of 1:500 or 1:200 - please specify)
  • Application form - fully completed, signed, and dated
  • Ownership certificate (included in application form)
  • Fee - see planning and building control fees for specific fees
  • Existing and proposed elevations (at a scale of 1:100 or 1:50 - please specify)
  • Existing and proposed floor plans (at a scale of 1:100 or 1:50 - please specify)
  • Existing and proposed roof plans (at a scale of 1:100 or 1:50 - please specify)
  • Scale bars on each submitted plan
  • Correct identification of documents submitted via Planning Portal
  • Your development may be liable for a charge under the Community Infrastructure Levy if it involves new build floor area, including extensions or a new dwelling. See Community Infrastructure Levy for more information.

For applications falling within a certain area, we will also need:

  • Site Sections/levels (at a scale of 1:100 or 1:50 - please specify) - only required if alterations to the ground levels include raised/sunken patios, decking, steps, etc.
  • Flood Risk Assessment - only required if development is in Flood Zone areas 2 or 3 or has over 1 hectare in Flood Zone 1
  • Design and Access Statement - only required if proposal falls within a Conservation Area

This allows us to register and validate your application as quickly as possible.

How to apply

You can apply for planning permission online through the Planning Portal or using paper forms.

The Planning Portal also allows you to:

  • create a site location plan (external website) (compulsory for all applications)
  • attach supporting documents (such as photographs)
  • calculate and pay the application fee (where enabled).

Or download and print paper copies of application forms, also on the Planning Portal (external website)

When submitting paper copies three additional copies plus the original of the completed standard application form are to be submitted in order for the application to be valid.  An applicant may be requested to submit more than four copies, in order to assist with consultations, but three copies is the statutory requirement for a valid application. Address to Planning and Sustainability, and post to the council offices address.

Additional resources

Ecology wildlife checklist

  • Ecology wildlife checklist [PDF | 142KB]: the checklist is used to establish whether or not an ecological survey is required as part of your application.

Design and access statement

  • Design and access statements are required for major developments, listed building consent applications and certain developments in conservation areas.

Site locations and block plans

  • Site location and block plans are complusory. Planning Portal provides a "Buy a Plan" (external website) service, and other service providers are available.

Planning application fees

  • See planning and building control fees: to calculate the correct fee for your application.
  • For email and paper based submissions, pay this fee online to the council at planning fees payment
  • or when applying online you can use the Planning Portal to calculate and pay the application fee.

Community Infrastructure Levy

Planning applications containing additional proposed floorspace of over 100 square metres determined after 1 November 2012 may be liable to Community Infrastructure Levy charges.

Planning constraints

Details of planning policies and constraints are available on My Wycombe. The "My property" tab shows a summary of selected policies and constraints for any address in the district.

You can see the full set of policies and constraints in the My Maps tab. Click on the "My maps" tab. Select "Local plan" from "Map choices" in the side panel.

Most planning constraints (circumstances which could affect your property) such as flood plain or Chilterns Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty are linked to policies which explain in detail what impact they could have.

Flood risk

Contaminated land

Hazardous substances

Tree Preservation Orders

Conservation areas

River Wye Corridor

  • Revive the Wye Project Review 2010 [PDF | 657KB]: sets out aims and objectives for the conservation and enhancement of the River Wye as part of a partnership project started in July 2007
  • River Wye Advice Note [PDF | 1.7MB]: guidance to protect and enhance the River Wye environment; originally produced to fulfil recommendations made in the River Wye study carried out in 1992

Listed buildings

Chilterns Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty

Contact information

Planning and Building control opening hours and contact information