Read our planning guidance and policy documents

Check to see if your proposal fits in with local and national planning policy.

Local policy

Read information on our pages:

• Adopted local planning policy 
• Neighbourhood Plans 
• Supplementary Planning Documents (SPDs)
• Village Design Statements on the Supplementary Planning Documents (SPDs) page
• Community infrastructure levy and section 106 advice 
• Play Space Design Guide Technical Note (PDF document) 

Borough design guide

The Borough Design Guide (PDF document) provides guidance to ensure proposals are appropriate and protect nearby properties from the impact of the development. 

National Policy

Guidance is also available on the Government website and planning portal:

• National Planning Practice Guidance  
• Revised National Planning Policy Framework 

Use our constraints checker

Use the planning constraints map to find out what constraints your site has. This will help you to find out what information must be submitted with an application. 

The most common constraints that result in additional information being required are:

• Bat habitat area - go to the bat Conservation Trust website to find out more
• Flood Risk Area - a flood risk assessment may be required. Go to the Gov.uk website to find out more
• Green Belt or Countryside (outside of development limits) - details of volumes of existing and proposed buildings may be required. You can find out in the Local List of Requirements for Planning Applications (PDF document).
• Tree preservation orders – an arboricultural survey may be required
• Listed building - a heritage statement may be required - You can find out in the Local List of Requirements for Planning Applications (PDF document).
• Planning practice guidance 
• The Planning Portal - how to apply and what to submit