Lawful Development Certificate for a Proposed Use or Development

You can apply for a Lawful Development Certificate for a Proposed Use or Development to confirm that a proposal is lawful or that planning permission is not required.

This option is well worth considering even if you are sure your project is permitted development. If you should later want to sell your property a lawful development certificate may be helpful to answer queries raised by potential buyers or their legal representatives. As such, it is important that all paperwork and records relating to your property are clear and up to date.

National Information Requirements

Lawful development certificate applications are required to be accompanied by the following national information requirements prescribed in the Town and Country Planning (Development Management Procedure) (England) Order 2015. If you fail to provide this information the Council will declare your application invalid.

Item	Requirement
Standard application form	The Council encourages the submission of applications online via the Planning Portal. If the application is submitted in paper format the Council requires one original completed standard application form to be submitted.
Ownership statement	All applications must include a statement setting out the applicant’s interest in the land, the name and address of any other person known to the applicant to have an interest in the land and whether any such other person has been notified of the application.
Location plan	All applications must include a location plan based on an up to date map of a metric scale of 1:1250 or 1:2500. Wherever possible the plan should be scaled to fit onto A4 or A3 size paper. Plans should identify sufficient roads and/or buildings on land adjoining the application site to ensure that the exact location of the application site is clear. The application site should be edged clearly with a red line. It should include all land necessary to carry out the proposed development. Note the red line should go around your house and garden (domestic curtilage) and not just around the proposal. A blue line should be drawn around any other land owned by the applicant, close to or adjoining the application site.
Supporting evidence	All applications must include as much evidence verifying the information included in the application as can be provided.
Correct fee	The fee is half the fee it would be for an equivalent planning application. The correct fees can be checked at Planning permission fee calculator

Bradford Local Information Requirements

Below is a list of additional information requirements for a lawful development certificate application. Local information requirements are at the discretion of the Council, but are based on national or adopted local policy requirements or 'policy drivers'. If you fail to provide this information the Council will declare your application invalid.

Site plan

Policy driver	Type of application	What information is required
National Planning Policy Framework Paragraphs 43 and 44	All applications where building work is proposed	Site plans should be drawn at an identified standard metric scale (typically 1:200 or 1:500) and accurately show: The direction of north The proposed development in relation to the site boundaries and other existing buildings on the site, with written dimensions including those to the boundaries and the following, unless these would NOT influence or be affected by the proposed development: All the buildings, roads, and footpaths on land adjoining the site including access arrangements All public rights of way crossing or adjoining the site The position of all trees on the site and those on adjacent land The extent and type of any hard surfacing; and Boundary treatment including walls or fencing where this is proposed

Existing and proposed elevations

Policy driver	Type of application	What information is required
National Planning Policy Framework Paragraphs 43 and 44	All applications where building work is proposed	These should be drawn at a scale of 1:50 or 1:100 and show clearly the proposed works in relation to what is already there. All external sides of the proposal must be shown and these should indicate, where possible, the proposed building materials and the style, materials and finish of doors and windows. Blank elevations must also be included; if only to show that this is in fact the case. Where a proposed elevation adjoins another building or is in close proximity, the drawings should clearly show the relationship between the buildings, and detail the positions of the openings on each property.

Existing and proposed floor plans

Policy driver	Type of application	What information is required
National Planning Policy Framework Paragraphs 43 and 44	All applications where building work is proposed	These should be drawn at a scale of 1:50 or 1:100 and should explain the proposal in detail. Where existing walls or buildings are to be demolished these should be clearly shown. The drawings submitted should show details of the existing building(s) as well as those for the proposed development. New buildings should also be shown in context with adjacent buildings (including property numbers where applicable). Existing and proposed floor plans are also required for changes of use where no external work or alterations are to be carried out.

Application form

Apply for a Lawful Development Certificate