Sometimes you just want to make sure that you have the right to develop by law without prejudgement from the council. You can therefore apply for a Lawful development certificate.
The uncertainty about whether planning permission is needed in a particular situation crops up repeatedly.
A project that relies on permitted development rights should have the certainty of council approval to ensure it complies with regulations.
.When purchasing a property, people often ask the seller to provide evidence that any work or uses were properly authorized.
Questions about whether planning permission is needed can arise after work has been completed or a change of use has taken place.
The planning system provides a means to decide whether a proposed or existing development would be lawful within the bounds of current planning law and regulations. The planning system is intended to ensure that developments are in keeping with the local area and that they do not impact the environment or neighbouring properties.
When planning permission is required, it can take months to decide whether a development would comply with regulations. This means that people may lose out on investment opportunities or be unable to sell their property if it does not meet planning requirements.
Lawful development certificates (LDCs) are a different type of application to the planning authority and serve a similar purpose in that they assess whether or not something is permissible. Unlike planning applications, though, LDCs can be made on the basis of anything lawful – it’s not just buildings!
If the council decides that a project will not violate any laws, it will issue a certificate to confirm this.
In considering such applications, the council is supposed to assess only whether they are within the law—not if it believes in them.
A lawful development certificate should be issued based solely on legal considerations. Unlike planning permission, conditions cannot be added to these certificates by the council staff who issue them.
We hope this explained LDC, if you’re still confused don’t forget you can still comment on this post and we’ll try to respond.
More information can be found here.