Understanding planning · 13 min read
Planning application documents: what to read first
Understand planning application documents, officer reports and decision notices. Use a reading checklist, document table and worked example to inspect a case.
Application overview
Change of use from storage rooms above shop to 2 residential apartments.
Proposal details
- Reference
- P26/0387
- Alternative references
- PP-14515826
- Development type
- Change of Use & Minor Operations
- Ward
- St. James's
- UPRN
- 90145776
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Sign in to view collected detailsDocuments 16 of 16
| Document | Published | Action |
|---|---|---|
| The location planDCLOCPLN | 23 Feb 2026 | View |
| Existing floor plansDCGENPLN | 23 Feb 2026 | View |
| Existing elevationsDCELEVAT | 23 Feb 2026 | View |
| Proposed elevationsDCGENPLN | 23 Feb 2026 | View |
| Heritage statementDCREPSRV | 23 Feb 2026 | View |
| Design and access statementDCREPSRV | 23 Feb 2026 | View |
| Proposed ground floor planDCGENPLN | 23 Feb 2026 | View |
| Proposed first floor planDCGENPLN | 23 Feb 2026 | View |
| Proposed second floor planDCGENPLN | 23 Feb 2026 | View |
| Block plan of the siteDCBLKPLN | 23 Feb 2026 | View |
| ESH CommentsDCCONRES | 15 Apr 2026 | View |
| Contaminated Land ResponseDCCONRES | 16 Apr 2026 | View |
| Consultation response - HighwaysDCCONRES | 20 May 2026 | View |
| Heritage ResponseDCCONRES | 6 Jun 2026 | View |
| Decision NoticeDCDECIS | 17 Jun 2026 | View |
| Officer ReportDCGENDOC | 17 Jun 2026 | View |
Documents open on the council website. Browse council documents if a link has changed.
Application timeline
Council milestones and published deadlines. A deadline passing does not confirm a decision.
Consultation expiry date
Past published deadlineA published target or deadline. It does not confirm an outcome.
Council sourceStatutory expiry date
Past published deadlineA published target or deadline. It does not confirm an outcome.
Council sourceSite notice end date
Past published deadlineA published target or deadline. It does not confirm an outcome.
Council sourceDecision due date
Past published deadlineA published target or deadline. It does not confirm an outcome.
Council sourceExtension date
Past published deadlineA published target or deadline. It does not confirm an outcome.
Council sourceDecision expiry date
Published deadlineA published target or deadline. It does not confirm an outcome.
Council source
Decision & conditions
Decision NoticePlanning conditions
- The development hereby permitted shall be begun before the expiration of three years from the date of this permission. REASON: To comply with Section 91(1) of the Town and Country Planning Act, 1990 as amended by Section 51 of the Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act 2004.
- The development hereby permitted shall be carried out in accordance with the following approved plans: 212_001; 212_002; 212_003; 212_004; 212_005; 212_006 and 212_008 REASON: For the avoidance of doubt and in the interests of proper planning.
- The development hereby approved shall not be first occupied until details of a dedicated refuse storage area for the new residential units, and its relationship to existing refuse storage for the commercial premises and other flats, have been submitted to and approved in writing by the Local Planning Authority. The refuse storage shall be provided in accordance with the approved details prior to the first occupation of the development and shall thereafter be retained and maintained for no other purpose for the life of the development. REASON: In the interests of highway safety, residential amenity, and to comply with Policy S6 Urban Design and Policy L1 of the Borough Development Strategy 2017, and Policy TRAN2 of the Black Country Core Strategy 2011. Informative In dealing with this application the Local Planning Authority have worked with the applicant in a positive, proactive and creative manner, seeking solutions to problems arising in relation to dealing with the application, by seeking to help the applicant resolve technical detail issues where required and maintaining the delivery of sustainable development. The development would improve the economic, social and environmental concerns of the area and thereby being in accordance with paragraph 39 of the National Planning Policy Framework 2024. Biodiversity Net Gain When granting planning permission, Article 35 of the Town and Country Planning (Development Management Procedure) (England) Order 2015 (as amended by The Biodiversity Gain (Town and Country Planning) (Modifications and Amendments) (England) Regulations 2024) (https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2015/595/article/35/) requires planning authorities to set out the following information to signpost an applicant to the statutory framework for Biodiversity Net Gain. Paragraph 13 of Schedule 7A to the Town and Country Planning Act 1990 states that planning permission, granted for the development of land in England, is deemed to have been granted subject to the "Biodiversity Gain condition" and that development may not begin unless: (a) a Biodiversity Gain Plan has been submitted to the planning authority, and (b) the planning authority has approved the plan. The planning authority, for the purposes of determining whether to approve a Biodiversity Gain Plan if one is required in respect of this permission is the Dudley Metropolitan Borough Council. In accordance with the Biodiversity Net Gain Planning Practice Guidance, the Biodiversity Gain condition is not being repeated within this decision notice. However, please be aware that noncompliance with this statutory condition may result in enforcement action. There are statutory exemptions and transitional arrangements which mean that the Biodiversity Gain condition does not always apply. These are set out in The Biodiversity Gain Requirements (Exemptions) Regulations 2024 (https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2024/47/contents/made) and The Environment Act 2021 (Commencement No.8 and Transitional Provisions) Regulations 2024 (https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2024/44/made). The planning authority requests that, where an applicant is required to submit a Biodiversity Gain Plan, Habitat Management & Monitoring Plan (HMMP) and /or HMMP monitoring reports, that the applicant uses the standard national templates. If this permission is not exempt, and there is "irreplaceable habitat" onsite (as set out within Biodiversity Gain Requirements (Irreplaceable Habitat) Regulations 2024) (https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2024/48/contents/made) there are additional obligations for the content of the Biodiversity Gain Plan/s. This must be addressed before the planning authority can approve the plan(s). Based on the information available, it is not considered that this permission is subject to the statutory Biodiversity Gain condition, as the following exemption applies: 1. The permission which has been granted is for development which is exempt being: 1 Development below the de minimis threshold, meaning development which: does not impact an onsite priority habitat (a habitat specified in a list published under section 41 of the Natural Environment and Rural Communities Act 2006); and impacts less than 25 square metres of onsite habitat that has biodiversity value greater than zero and less than 5 metres in length of onsite linear habitat (as defined in the statutory metric). As BNG is fully assessed after approval, the circumstances and/or information within the planning proposal provided may change. Therefore, to avoid enforcement action, you must evaluate if the condition is required and proceed accordingly (i.e. submitting a Biodiversity Gain Plan (if one is required) for approval), prior to beginning works onsite. Coal Mining Legacy Risks The proposed development lies within an area that has been defined by The Coal Authority as containing potential hazards arising from former coal mining activity. These hazards can include: mine entries (shafts and adits); shallow coal workings; geological features (fissures and break lines); mine gas and previous surface mining sites. Although such hazards are seldom readily visible, they can often be present and problems can occur in the future, particularly as a result of development taking place. It is recommended that information outlining how the former mining activities affect the proposed development, along with any mitigation measures required (for example the need for gas protection measures within the foundations), be submitted alongside any subsequent application for Building Regulations approval (if relevant). Your attention is drawn to The Coal Authority Policy in relation to new development and mine entries available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/building-on-or-within-the-influencing-distance-of-mine-entries Any intrusive activities which disturb or enter any coal seams, coal mine workings or coal mine entries (shafts and adits) requires a Coal Authority Permit. Such activities could include site investigation boreholes, digging of foundations, piling activities, other ground works and any subsequent treatment of coal mine workings and coal mine entries for ground stability purposes. Failure to obtain a Coal Authority Permit for such activities is trespass, with the potential for court action. IMPORTANT - COMMUNITY INFRASTRUTURE LEVY This development is exempt from the Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL) and therefore you are only required to comply with the conditions attached to this notice.
