Pre-application planning advice

In person advice

You can meet a duty planning officer in person Monday to Friday, 10am to 2pm at the Customer Hub​​. You don’t need to make an appointment.

This service is for householders and small businesses wi​shing to discuss the planning process or what may require planning consent. ​

We can offer advice on minor changes or developments, including:

• house extensions and loft conversions
  
• conservatories, garages, sheds
  
• windows and doors
• fences and decking
  
• parking and driveways
• removal of boundary walls and structures
• advertisement and signage
• domestic solar panels and wind turbines
  

If you’re planning a major project, you can request written pre-application advice.

This service is currently free.

Written pre-application advice

Anyone can ask for written pre-application planning advice, but most queries come from major projects. 

Advice is offered without prejudice, but is designed to provide the best available opportunity to secure a positive outcome at planning application stage. 

The service allows us to engage in a collaborative manner, to discuss design details, policy application and interpretation, and detailed submission requirements before a planning application is submitted.

Our advice will tell you if you need to do any of the following before submitting a planning application: 

• provide additional information
• change your proposals
• consult other groups or organisation
  

We will consult with other departments and services on your behalf. If we receive comments in time, they will be included in your pre-application advice.

A pre-application meeting with a planning officer can be scheduled by adding this specific request in the “description” box on the application form. 

If you don’t request a meeting, you may not be contacted before receiving written advice. However, the planning officer may contact you if further clarity is needed to fully understand a proposed scheme, especially in more complex cases. 

How to request written pre-application advice

Anyone can ask for pre-application advice. You can submit your request on the Planning and Building Port​al, if you have an account. If you don’t have an account, you can register.

You’ll need to provide the minimum level of information to process your request. To receive more in-depth advice on your specific project, you’ll need to include more details.

You should include: 

• site and location maps showing existing buildings and features
• information on existing and proposed uses, floor spaces and occupation
• photographs of the proposed site, any existing buildings and the surrounding area
• sketch drawings showing as much of the elevations, floor plans, access, parking arrangements, architectural treatment and materials as possible
  

If you are unable to register for a Planning and Building Portal account you can complete a Pre-Application Advice Request and email it to planning@gov.je.

Your request will be reviewed by a planning officer. They should give you written advice within 6 weeks.

Once we've received your pre-application you can choose to meet the planning officer for up to 45 minutes. Make sure you indicate on the portal or within your application form that you want a meeting. We will set up the meeting within 2 weeks. 

We can provide you with a written summary of what was discussed after the meeting, which in some cases will be the pre application written advice.

​​W​hat we can’t advise you on

The advice we give you isn’t binding on the final decision of a formal planning application.

We base pre-application advice on the planning circumstances at the time, which has its limitations.

The pre-application process doesn’t involve or include: 

• public consultation 
  
• advice from other technical sources 
  
• input everyone who may make the final decision  

Advice is given with the best of intentions, but proposals can’t be pre-determined outside the formal application process because situations change, projects evolve, issues emerge.

You should get advice from your own professional team. For major projects, you may want to include:​

• planning consultancy input
  
• architectural and design services
  
• other specialist technical disciplines