If you’re thinking about submitting a planning application in the Pembrokeshire Coast National Park, there are changes in the pre-application service which may affect you.

New legislation from the Welsh Government means that from last Wednesday the National Park Authority must provide a statutory pre-application service for which there is a charge.

The authority’s director of park dection and planning, Jane Gibson, stated: “The fees charged for statutory pre-application services are the same across Wales, although they will vary depending upon the size and scale of the proposed development, ranging from £25 for a householder up to £1,000 for a large major development.

“The pre-application service can provide an applicant with written advice about a prospective development, and could help save you time and money at a later date when putting together proposals around planning permission, listed building consent and advertisement consent.

“For example, pre-application advice can help ensure an application is complete, comprehensive and to a satisfactory standard, thus avoiding being invalid at registration stage or resulting in a refusal of permission based on a lack of information. Improved timelines and improved quality standards will underpin the new service.”

The mandatory introduction of fees for this advice is part of a number of changes to the planning system following the Planning Act (Wales) 2015, and the Town and Country Planning (Pre-Application Services) (Wales) Regulations 2016, which require all local planning authorities in Wales to provide a statutory pre-application service.

The National Park Authority planners will continue to offer a free planning surgery on Thursdays – you will need to make an appointment.

Find out about planning applications that affect you by visiting the Public Notice Portal.

For more information on planning surgeries and pre-application advice, please go to www.pembrokeshirecoast.wales, email:[email protected] or ring 01646 624800.