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Do I need planning permission?
Different types of consent
You may need to apply to us for the following types of consent:
- Planning permission for building works (opens in a new window) (including new buildings, structures and external alterations, change to ground levels, mining operations and changes of use of land or buildings)
- Advertisement Consent for new signage
- Listed Building Consent (opens in a new window) for external or internal alterations to the built fabric of a Listed Building
- Conservation Area Consent (opens in a new window) for demolition of a building or structure in a Conservation Area (where the structure exceeds 115 cubic metres)
- Works to a tree covered by a Tree Preservation Order
- Works to a tree within a conservation area
Permitted development
Certain minor works or uses do not require planning permission from us and may be carried out as ‘permitted development’.
The specific rules for permitted development are set out in the Planning (General Permitted Development) Order (Northern Ireland) 2015 (link opens in a new window). This includes certain proposals within the curtilage of a dwelling house, some changes of use and other minor operations.
You can find further advice on when planning permission is required on the Planning Portal (opens in a new window).
If you would like us to confirm whether your proposal requires planning permission, you can apply for a Certificate of Lawful Use or Development (Proposed) (opens in a new window). This is a legally binding decision from the council and may be useful confirmation if you want to sell your home or property.
Deemed advertisement consent
Certain adverts and signs can be erected without the need for Advertisement Consent. These circumstances are set out in Schedules 2 and 3 of the Advertisement Regulations (opens in a new window).
Application checklist
Our Application Checklist sets out the information you need to provide with your planning application.
It is vital that applications are supported by the right information so that we can assess them properly and deal with them in a timely manner. If supporting information is missing, it can lead to delays or could even result in your application being refused.
We therefore strongly encourage you to use our Application Checklist.
Pre-Application Discussion service
We offer a Pre-Application Discussion service for you to speak with a planning officer and discuss proposals before you make an application. For more information, visit our Pre-Application advice section.
Planning applications - fees and forms
For information go to our planning fees and forms page.
Major planning applications
If you want to submit a Major application, you must have consulted with the community on your proposals before submitting your application.
Twelve weeks before you submit an application, you must submit a Proposal of Application Notice (PAN), indicating how you will carry out consultation before submitting the formal application.
Agents - Planning Consultants, Architects and Architectural Technologists
You can submit a planning application yourself or appoint an agent to act on your behalf. If you use an agent, our contact during the application process will always be with them.
The Royal Town Planning Institute (link opens in new window) and Irish Planning Institute (link opens in new window) provide resources for searching for Planning Consultants.
If you want to appoint an architect you can visit the Architects Registration Board (ARB) website (opens in a new window). This is a register of everyone who is appropriately qualified and licensed to work as an architect in the UK.
If you want to appoint a Chartered Architectural Technologist you can visit the Chartered Institute of Architectural Technologists (link opens in new window). This is the professional body which holds the register of Chartered Architectural Technologists appropriately qualified to lead projects in the UK.