Somerset
A scenic county in South West England, home to Exmoor, the Somerset Levels, the Mendip Hills, and the ancient city of Wells.
Planning Permission in Somerset
Planning permission in Somerset is obtained from Somerset Council, the unitary authority for the county. Exmoor National Park Authority is the planning authority for the national park area. Somerset Council was created in April 2023, replacing Somerset County Council and the four former district councils of Mendip, Sedgemoor, Somerset West and Taunton, and South Somerset.
Somerset Council's planning pages are developing as the unified planning service consolidates the operations of the four former district councils. The council is applying a composite of the former district councils' adopted policies while its new Somerset Local Plan is prepared. Self-builders should identify the former district area covering their site and consult the relevant legacy policies while also engaging Somerset Council's planning service for current guidance.
Flood risk management is the dominant technical planning consideration across much of Somerset. The Environment Agency's Somerset Local Flood Risk Management Strategy sets out the approach to managing flood risk from the county's rivers, including the Tone, Parrett, Yeo and Brue. Any self-build proposal in the Somerset Levels, in a river valley or in a coastal location must be accompanied by a flood risk assessment that demonstrates that the development is appropriate to its flood risk context. Sequential and Exception Tests are required where applicable.
Community Infrastructure Levy arrangements in Somerset are being consolidated following the 2023 reorganisation. The former districts had varying CIL arrangements, and Somerset Council is reviewing the position across the county. Self-builders should confirm the current CIL status and rates with Somerset Council before committing to a site. The self-build exemption will apply where CIL is charged, subject to the usual conditions.
The AONB Management Plans for the Mendip Hills, Quantock Hills and Blackdown Hills are material considerations for planning applications within these designated landscapes. Applications within any of Somerset's AONBs must include a landscape and visual impact assessment and must demonstrate how the proposal conserves and enhances the natural beauty of the designated landscape. The Mendip Hills AONB Conservation Board and the Quantock Hills AONB Service can be consulted at the pre-application stage.
Exmoor National Park Authority's planning pages provide access to the Exmoor Local Plan (2011-2031). The park authority's design guide sets out the design expectations for all development within the national park. Pre-application advice is strongly recommended before any design investment for proposals within the Exmoor boundary.
Validation requirements across Somerset include a completed application form, location and site plans, a design and access statement, and the statutory fee. Additional site-specific requirements include flood risk assessments (particularly important given Somerset's flood history), heritage impact assessments for sites near the county's outstanding stock of ecclesiastical and secular listed buildings, ecological surveys for sites near the Levels wetlands or AONB habitats, and landscape and visual impact assessments for AONB and open countryside sites.
Somerset Council's planning pages are developing as the unified planning service consolidates the operations of the four former district councils. The council is applying a composite of the former district councils' adopted policies while its new Somerset Local Plan is prepared. Self-builders should identify the former district area covering their site and consult the relevant legacy policies while also engaging Somerset Council's planning service for current guidance.
Flood risk management is the dominant technical planning consideration across much of Somerset. The Environment Agency's Somerset Local Flood Risk Management Strategy sets out the approach to managing flood risk from the county's rivers, including the Tone, Parrett, Yeo and Brue. Any self-build proposal in the Somerset Levels, in a river valley or in a coastal location must be accompanied by a flood risk assessment that demonstrates that the development is appropriate to its flood risk context. Sequential and Exception Tests are required where applicable.
Community Infrastructure Levy arrangements in Somerset are being consolidated following the 2023 reorganisation. The former districts had varying CIL arrangements, and Somerset Council is reviewing the position across the county. Self-builders should confirm the current CIL status and rates with Somerset Council before committing to a site. The self-build exemption will apply where CIL is charged, subject to the usual conditions.
The AONB Management Plans for the Mendip Hills, Quantock Hills and Blackdown Hills are material considerations for planning applications within these designated landscapes. Applications within any of Somerset's AONBs must include a landscape and visual impact assessment and must demonstrate how the proposal conserves and enhances the natural beauty of the designated landscape. The Mendip Hills AONB Conservation Board and the Quantock Hills AONB Service can be consulted at the pre-application stage.
Exmoor National Park Authority's planning pages provide access to the Exmoor Local Plan (2011-2031). The park authority's design guide sets out the design expectations for all development within the national park. Pre-application advice is strongly recommended before any design investment for proposals within the Exmoor boundary.
Validation requirements across Somerset include a completed application form, location and site plans, a design and access statement, and the statutory fee. Additional site-specific requirements include flood risk assessments (particularly important given Somerset's flood history), heritage impact assessments for sites near the county's outstanding stock of ecclesiastical and secular listed buildings, ecological surveys for sites near the Levels wetlands or AONB habitats, and landscape and visual impact assessments for AONB and open countryside sites.
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