Change of use - Planning validation requirements

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Application type information

Description 

If you are proposing to change the use of a building or land from one class to another, you will need planning permission. 

You can find details if use classes and when permission is needed on the Planning portal. 

Guidance 

You can get help and advice from our Duty Planner on change of use and other types of planning applications. 

You can get detailed feedback on your proposal by using our pre-application advice service. 

Documents that are always required

You must submit the following as part of your planning application: 

Documents that are sometimes required

Depending on the details of your application, you may have to submit one or more of the following documents and information: 

  • Members and employees; On your application you must tell us if you are a Member of Braintree District Council or employed by us. We will determine any applications from Members or employees at a Planning Committee meeting. 
  • Amendment statement; needed if you are applying for revisions to an approved application 
  • Car parking and access – needed if your application includes hard standings, garages or car ports. 
  • Listed Building Sections; needed if your application includes: 
    • works at upper floor levels, where accommodation is being created beneath the roof. For example within the attic of a house, or the creation of first floor accommodation within a barn conversion 
    • attaching new signage to a listed building. Your listed building section drawings must show how you will attach the sign 
  • Fume, Extraction and Ventilation; needed if your application: 
    • proposes to incorporate a ventilation or extraction system 
    • is for an A3 restaurant or cafe 
    • is for an A4 drinking establishment 
    • is for an A5 Hot food take away establishment 
    • is for any development that includes a commercial kitchen 
  • Marketing appraisal; needed if your application is for: 
    • the removal of agricultural occupancy conditions 
    • the loss of commercial premises in the countryside 
    • the residential re-use of rural buildings in the countryside 
    • in urban areas, a change of use from an B1 (office), A1 (shop), C1 (hotel) or D2 (leisure) use to a non-employment/community use 
    • the loss of a village public house 
  • Open space, other S106 contributions and management plans; needed for all major development applications 
  • Planning statement; needed for applications that are; 
    • major developments within or next to residential areas 
    • major developments that are departures from the development plan 
    • major developments that are EIA development 
    • major developments that are notifiable to the Secretary of State 
    • minor or other developments that are likely to attract significant community interest 
    • minor or other developments that are complex proposals which need describing 
    • minor or other developments proposals seeking to vary or remove conditions 
  • Retail impact assessment; needed if your application is for: 
    • a retail and leisure development over 2,500 square metres gross floor space 
    • a retail and leisure development less than 2,500 square metres floor space that is likely to have a significant impact on shopping centres 
    • other town centre uses when they are in an edge of centre or out of centre location and not in accordance with the local development plan 
  • Structural survey; needed if your application: 
    • is for a listed buildings where the structural condition of the building requires it 
    • is for a building to be converted to a new use 
    • involves substantial demolition