Wiltshire
A county of chalk downland and ancient mystery in the South West, home to Stonehenge, Avebury, and the elegant city of Salisbury.
Planning Permission in Wiltshire
Planning permission in Wiltshire is obtained from Wiltshire Council for the rural county area, or from Swindon Borough Council for the Swindon urban area. The two councils have separate planning portals, Local Plans and CIL schedules.
Wiltshire Council's planning pages provide access to its adopted Wiltshire Core Strategy (2006-2026). The council is preparing a new Wiltshire Local Plan to replace this document, and the emerging plan's policies are gradually becoming material considerations as the plan progresses through examination. In the interim, the adopted Core Strategy - together with the National Planning Policy Framework - forms the primary policy basis for planning decisions.
Core Policy CP57 (Ensuring High Quality Design and Place Shaping) is the primary design policy in the Wiltshire Core Strategy, requiring all development to be of high quality and to make a positive contribution to local character. The council's Design Guide SPD provides the detailed supplementary framework for residential design quality across Wiltshire's varied settlement types and landscape character areas.
The Stonehenge World Heritage Site Management Plan and the Avebury World Heritage Site Management Plan are material considerations for planning applications within or affecting the setting of the World Heritage Sites. Wiltshire Council's archaeologists and Historic England's Inspector of Ancient Monuments are closely involved in assessing the impact of development on the archaeological landscape of the chalk downland. Archaeological field evaluation - including geophysical survey and trial trenching - is frequently required before planning permission can be granted for development in archaeologically sensitive areas.
Community Infrastructure Levy is charged by Wiltshire Council at rates set out in its adopted CIL charging schedule. The schedule reflects variations in land values across different parts of the county. The self-build exemption is available for qualifying applicants who intend to occupy the completed home as their principal residence for at least three years. Wiltshire Council's CIL team administers the exemption and can confirm the applicable rate.
Swindon Borough Council's planning pages cover the large urban area of Swindon and its surrounding parishes. The council's adopted Local Plan (2011-2026) sets out the spatial strategy for housing and development in the Swindon area. Design policies in Swindon reflect the council's aspiration to improve the design quality of new housing in a town that has seen rapid growth and significant volume house building.
Validation requirements for Wiltshire Council planning applications include a completed application form, location and site plans, a design and access statement referencing the Wiltshire Design Guide, and the statutory fee. Additional site-specific requirements include a heritage impact assessment for sites within or affecting the World Heritage Sites, an archaeological desk-based assessment and potentially field evaluation for sites in archaeologically sensitive areas, an ecological survey for sites on the chalk downland or near AONB habitats, and a landscape and visual impact assessment for AONB sites.
Wiltshire Council's planning pages provide access to its adopted Wiltshire Core Strategy (2006-2026). The council is preparing a new Wiltshire Local Plan to replace this document, and the emerging plan's policies are gradually becoming material considerations as the plan progresses through examination. In the interim, the adopted Core Strategy - together with the National Planning Policy Framework - forms the primary policy basis for planning decisions.
Core Policy CP57 (Ensuring High Quality Design and Place Shaping) is the primary design policy in the Wiltshire Core Strategy, requiring all development to be of high quality and to make a positive contribution to local character. The council's Design Guide SPD provides the detailed supplementary framework for residential design quality across Wiltshire's varied settlement types and landscape character areas.
The Stonehenge World Heritage Site Management Plan and the Avebury World Heritage Site Management Plan are material considerations for planning applications within or affecting the setting of the World Heritage Sites. Wiltshire Council's archaeologists and Historic England's Inspector of Ancient Monuments are closely involved in assessing the impact of development on the archaeological landscape of the chalk downland. Archaeological field evaluation - including geophysical survey and trial trenching - is frequently required before planning permission can be granted for development in archaeologically sensitive areas.
Community Infrastructure Levy is charged by Wiltshire Council at rates set out in its adopted CIL charging schedule. The schedule reflects variations in land values across different parts of the county. The self-build exemption is available for qualifying applicants who intend to occupy the completed home as their principal residence for at least three years. Wiltshire Council's CIL team administers the exemption and can confirm the applicable rate.
Swindon Borough Council's planning pages cover the large urban area of Swindon and its surrounding parishes. The council's adopted Local Plan (2011-2026) sets out the spatial strategy for housing and development in the Swindon area. Design policies in Swindon reflect the council's aspiration to improve the design quality of new housing in a town that has seen rapid growth and significant volume house building.
Validation requirements for Wiltshire Council planning applications include a completed application form, location and site plans, a design and access statement referencing the Wiltshire Design Guide, and the statutory fee. Additional site-specific requirements include a heritage impact assessment for sites within or affecting the World Heritage Sites, an archaeological desk-based assessment and potentially field evaluation for sites in archaeologically sensitive areas, an ecological survey for sites on the chalk downland or near AONB habitats, and a landscape and visual impact assessment for AONB sites.
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