How do I apply for planning permission?

You may need to apply for planning permission and building regulations approval for your project. Planning rules determine whether you can go ahead with projects and building regulations set standards to ensure that buildings are safe.

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Let's avoid any un-necessary delays and get your application right first time so we can start to consider it as quickly as possible. 

You'll need to provide a number of documents and statements. We have created useful documents to help you understand what is required from you before submitting an application. These can be found by reading the Planning application information requirements and Householder guidance. 

You can apply for planning permission online. There are advantages to submitting your application online. The benefits include no printing costs, the ability to apply at a time convenient to you, we will start work on the application quicker and you will receive notification that your application has been submitted and received by the Local Authority. 

Householder Guidance

The householder guidance provides applicants with a step by step guide as to what information is required when submitting an application to extend a domestic property. The guide also provides examples of the required plans and explanations as to why the information needs to be submitted.

Householder Guidance (Updated Sept 2025)

Download (472KB - PDF)

Planning application information requirements

There is a growing expectation that the development control service will consider a wider range of issues and consult more effectively with an increasingly interested community. At the same time, planning authorities are expected to provide greater certainty for applicants and deliver decisions on time.

To support this, Doncaster Council has prepared a comprehensive set of Local Validation Requirements, which replace and build upon our previous validation checklists. These requirements set out the form and content of information needed for planning applications, ensuring applicants are fully aware of their responsibilities while enabling the public and decision makers to be better informed.

Please see below our updated Local Validation Requirements for full details on mandatory and additional information, guidance on quality of submissions, and advice on pre-application engagement.

Local Validation Requirements - Introduction

The government’s policy on local information requirements can be found in the National Planning Policy Framework (the NPPF). It sets out that local planning authorities (LPAs) should take a proportionate approach to the information requested in support of planning applications.

An LPA may request supporting information with a planning application. Its requirements should be specified on a formally adopted 'local list' which has been published on its website less than 2 years before an application is submitted. Local information requirements have no bearing on whether a planning application is valid unless they are set out on such a list.

The local list is prepared by the LPA to clarify what information is usually required for applications of a particular type, scale or location.

In addition to being specified on an up-to-date local list published on the LPA’s website, information requested with a particular planning application must be:
  • reasonable having regard, in particular, to the nature and scale of the proposed development;
  • and about a matter which it is reasonable to think will be a material consideration in the determination of the application.
These statutory tests are set out in section 62 (4A) of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990 (inserted by the Growth and Infrastructure Act) and article 11(3)(c) of the Town and Country Planning (Development Management Procedure) (England) (Order) 2015.

Good quality plans, documentation and supporting information accompanying any planning submission are crucial to:

  1. Allow for efficient and timely processing of applications.
  2. Enable case officers, statutory consultees, key stakeholders, and local residents to be fully informed of the proposals to allow for meaningful and informed engagement throughout the process.
  3. Provide for the full scrutiny of schemes to enable officers to fully assess the impact of any development.
  4. Allow for effective and efficient decision making within statutory timescales, reducing delay and uncertainty in the system.
  5. Reduce the need for further information to be sought during consideration of the application or through the imposition of planning conditions.
  6. Facilitate faster implementation and delivery of high-quality development across the borough.

The council acknowledges that there will be circumstances when information required can be contained within a single document, or combination of documents when read together. On these occasions, the applicant should clearly indicate where this has happened and provide a document schedule which cross-refers in a simple way to ensure navigation between the documents can take place easily.

The council retains the right under the Town and Country Planning Acts to request any additional information required on a case-by-case basis, if it is deemed necessary.

It should also be noted that the onus is on the applicant to submit appropriate information with their application to enable officers to fully assess the impact of any development. If any requested additional information needed to help demonstrate how an application meets the requirements of the Development Plan is not provided, and then we are able to refuse planning permission on the basis of the inadequate information. It is therefore in an applicant’s interests to submit timely, accurate information at the initial validation stage.

Pre-application engagement

The Planning Practice Guidance (the PPG) sets out that pre-application engagement by prospective applicants offers significant potential to improve both the efficiency and effectiveness of the planning application system and improve the quality of planning applications and their likelihood of success. This can be achieved by:
  • providing an understanding of the relevant planning policies and other material considerations associated with a proposed development.
  • working collaboratively and openly with interested parties at an early stage to identify, understand and seek to resolve issues associated with a proposed development, including, where relevant, the need to deliver improvements in infrastructure and affordable housing.
  • discussing the possible mitigation of the impact of a proposed development, including any planning conditions
  • identifying the information required to accompany a formal planning application, thus reducing the likelihood of delays at the validation stage. The information requested must be reasonable (more information can be found in Making an application).
  • putting in place a Planning Performance Agreement where this would help with managing the process and agreeing any dedicated resources for progressing the application.
City of Doncaster Council is committed to positively and constructively engaging with prospective applicants through pre-application discussions and will always set out in detail what validation requirements will be applicable for any development proposals. We would strongly encourage all prospective applicants to seek pre-application advice at the earliest opportunity.

Validation disputes

It is anticipated that this comprehensive list of requirements will enable applicants to fully understand the council’s expectations in respect of application content and quality, and that any disagreements about the information needed to support a planning application can be resolved through informal negotiation at the pre-application stage.

We want to avoid disputes with you about whether your application is, or is not, valid; this is why we have prepared the clear advice provided here. National legislation provides us with the power to decide whether an application is valid. We consider that the information and evidence we require satisfies legislation because it meets the statutory tests set out above.

If you disagree with what we are asking you to do (to make your application valid) you should always talk to us in the first instance. If we are subsequently unable to reach an agreement, there is a procedure in the Development Management Procedure Order to resolve such disputes.

Making an application - GOV.UK – Delays in the validation of an application.

The applicant can serve a notice on the planning authority saying why the additional information which has been requested is considered unreasonable and requesting that the requirement be waived. The planning authority can then serve a notice that it no longer requires the information called "a validation notice" or one saying the information is still required, "a non-validation notice".

Guidance notes for submitting your application

You are strongly encouraged to submit applications electronically.

For applications submitted electronically you must adhere to the following guidelines:
  • Submit all necessary documents in one 'go'.
  • Maximum single attachment file size of 5MB Maximum application file size of 25MB.
  • All drawings should be attached as .pdf files (Other than in circumstances where the original xls files are required eg Biodiversity Net Gain calculations, but in these circumstances a PDF copy is also required.).
  • Ensure all drawings are categorised by type.
Quality of submissions:

When compiling your application, please remember that the quality of submission documents is fundamental to ensuring the council can make a comprehensive assessment of your proposals. Poor quality submissions create unnecessary delays to decision making and uncertainty for those involved in the process.

For all applications, please remember that all documentation should be:
  • Clearly titled.
  • Include unique reference numbers with clearly labelled revision references.
All plans, elevations, and sections must be:
  • Drawn to an identified scale.
  • Include a scale bar and a North arrow.
  • Clearly annotated, and always show a distinction between existing and proposed plans.
Please Remember:
  • If any of this information is missing or incorrect, your application will not be validated.
  • Information submitted in support of any application will be published online and made publicly available.
If you believe exceptional circumstances mean a particular piece of information should not be disclosed, you must discuss this with us before you submit the application.
Local Validation Requirements Final
Download (339KB - PDF)
Householder Local Validation Requirements
Download (179KB - PDF)
Larger Householder Extensions Prior Approval
Download (130KB - PDF)
Lawful Development Certificates Householder Proposed
Download (126KB - PDF)
Lawful Development Certificates Existing
Download (121KB - PDF)
Advertisement Consent Local Validation Requirements
Download (138KB - PDF)

Amendments Protocol 

Please be aware that from 01 May 2025 the council will be implementing a new practice for how we negotiate and accept amendments to all planning applications, which may affect you. This can be viewed here:

Amendment Protocol Final
Download (209KB - PDF)

We strongly encourage you to take this into account before you submit an application to us. 

Validation timescales

To ensure planning applications can be considered and dealt with as efficiently as possible an 8 week time frame is put in place to ensure we receive the necessary information to make an invalid application valid. It is requested that all information is sent in one package to the case officer dealing with your application. If the requisite information is not provided within this time period, all documents will be considered for disposal, fee returned, and no further action will be taken in respect of the application.

Location plan/site plan

You can purchase paper or electronic location and site plans by contacting: 

Contamination screening assessment form

To aid applicants YALPAC (Yorkshire & Lincolnshire Pollution Advisory Council; a forum of the region's local authorities) has published a document entitled 'Development on land affected by contamination. Technical guidance for developers, landowners and consultants'.

It is recognised that for the development of an individual residential property (i.e. one house in a garden) a full phase 1-4 can be inappropriate. Therefore within appendix 2 of the Technical Guidance is a screening assessment form that can be used as a basic contamination assessment and fulfils the requirements of the 'Existing Use' section of the planning application.

Development on Contaminated Land

Planning fees 

A fee is payable with most planning applications to determine the cost of your application, please refer to the list of fees and charges. You can work out how much your application may cost using the online fee calculator. 

Planning Portal - fee calculator 

List of fees 

Do it online

Paper application forms 

If you prefer to apply by post, you can download and print off a paper form from the planning portal. You will need to submit one set of plans together with any accompanying documents and the relevant fee. 

Hazardous Consent Application Form

Applications forms for hazardous substances consent can be found on the HSE website. 

Application forms

Prior notification of demolition

Application forms for Prior Notifications of Demolition can be submitted online via the 

alternatively the form can be downloaded from the

Along with the form, correct fee and site location plan, a copy of the site notice that the applicant has displayed on site, including a photograph showing the site notice in situ is also required.

City of Doncaster Council has produced a standard Prior Approval for Demolition Site Notice template for applicants to complete and display. 

Prior approval for demolition Site Notice
Download (13KB - DOCX)

Prior Approval 

Application forms for Prior Approval applications can be downloaded using the link below. At present you are unable to submit online. 

Planning Portal Paper Form

Prior Approval - AGR

City of Doncaster Council has produced a site notice template for applicants to complete and display when prior approval is required. 

Prior Approval AGR site notice
Download (12KB - DOCX)

More information

Electric Vehicle (EV) Charging Points Planning Guidance Note (July 2024)

This Developer Planning Guidance Note is to be used when designing and submitting any EV Charging Point infrastructure planning application to ensure due regard is had to accessibility and the Equalities Act 2010 at an early design stage. 

Electric Vehicle PAS1899 Planning Guidance V1
Download (496KB - PDF)

Building Regulations 

The process for applying for building regulations is separate to applying for planning permission. You can read more about building regulations by visiting Building Control.  

Application to modify or discharge a S106 planning obligation 

S106 Application form to modify or discharge
Download (177KB - PDF)

Privacy Notice 

The Council is committed to meeting its data protection obligations and handling your information securely. You should make sure you read and understand the Planning Services privacy notice, which sets out what you need to know about how Doncaster Council will use your information in the course of our work as a Local Planning Authority.

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Last updated: 07 October 2025 08:51:36

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