Commercial, industrial and non-residential development - Planning validation requirements

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Application type information

Description 

You should make an application for commercial, industrial and non-residential development if your proposal covers, shops, warehouses, factories and so on. 

Guidance 

You can get help and advice from our Duty Planner on commercial, industrial and non-residential development 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
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. 
  • Air quality statement; needed if your application is for a development that: 
    • may be exposed to poor air quality 
    • may result in emission to air which reduce air quality.  
  • Amendment statement; needed if you are applying for revisions to an approved application 
  • Contamination risk assessment; needed if your application is for: 
    • a residential development (houses, flats, nursing homes etc.) 
    • allotments 
    • children's play areas 
    • playing fields 
    • mixed use developments including vulnerable end uses 
    • nurseries, crèches and schools 
  • Design and access statement; needed if your application is for  
    • a major development 
    • one or more dwellings in a conservation area 
    • new buildings in a conservation area over 100m2 
    • development in a World Heritage site. 
  • Environmental impact assessment; needed for 
    • any major development which is of more than local importance 
    • any developments which is proposed for a particularly environmentally sensitive or vulnerable location 
    • any development with unusually complex and potentially hazardous environmental effects 
  • 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 
  • Flood risk assessment; needed if your application is for a development: 
    • of more 1 hectare or more in Flood Zone 1 
    • is located in Flood Zones 2 and 3 
    • in an area the Environment Agency or the Internal Drainage Boards have indicated there may have drainage problems 
  • Foul sewage assessment; needed if you application is for: 
    • a major development 
    • a proposal to change or replace the existing system 
    • create a new system  
  • 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 
  • Infrastructure and utilities assessment; needed if your application is for a major development  
  • Landscape impact assessment; needed if your application is for a major development 
    • in the countryside 
    • on the edge of an existing residential development 
  • Lighting Assessment; needed if your application proposes to incorporate or need lighting.  
  • Major application; needed if your proposal falls under the status of major development 
  • 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 
  • Noise impact assessment; needed if your application is for  
    • industrial or commercial uses near to residential property 
    • new residential property near to transportation noise sources 
    • new residential property near to existing industrial or commercial premises where industrial noise is the dominant source 
    • new entertainment premises near to residential property 
    • new residential property near to places of entertainment 
  • Open space, other S106 contributions and management plans; needed for all major development applications  
  • Phasing plans; needed for all major development applications where the: 
    • development is to be built out in phases rather than in one go 
    • development is for mixed use 
    • development includes community benefits 
  • Proposed site drainage strategy; needed for all major development applications  
  • Refuse strategy; needed if you application is for a development that needs bin storage, including all new dwellings 
  • 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 
  • Sequential assessment; needed if your application is for a retail or leisure development, not in an existing centre. Different size criteria apply for different areas:  
    • More than 1000 square metres gross affecting the Great Notley District Centre  
    • 1500 square metres gross affecting Halstead and Witham town centre  
    • 2500 square metres gross affecting Braintree town centre  
    • 500 square metres gross affecting a local centres 
  • Site levels; needed if your application is to  
    • is to amend a condition that refers to site levels 
    • is to discharge a condition that refers to site levels 
    • is to remove or vary a condition that refers to site levels 
    • is a proposal where there is a change in levels which would have a material effect in the locality 
  • Statement of community involvement; needed for all major development applications  
  • Structural survey; needed if your application: 
    • is for a listed building where the structural condition of the building requires it 
    • is for a building to be converted to a new use 
    • involves substantial demolition 
  • Transport assessment and travel plan; needed if your application is for a proposal that is likely to have significant transport implications 
  • Tree assessment; needed if your application includes works to protected tree(s). 
  • Viability appraisal; needed if your application: 
    • is for the loss of commercial premises in the countryside 
    • includes a proposal for a reduced S106 contribution