Discharging or varying planning conditions

Conditions are often imposed to regulate certain aspects of an approved scheme and are an important element in the process. If it were not for the conditions, it is likely that the planning application would have been refused. Conditions are used in different ways, such as:

• requiring certain things to happen before a development is started, before a building is occupied or a before use commences
  
  
• regulating how the work is carried out or
  
  
• regulating how the completed development is to be used, or to control possible changes in the future

Failure to comply with planning conditions or not implementing your development in accordance with the approved drawings may have serious consequences, potentially including formal enforcement action.

What to do once your application has been approved

The planning decision notice will include any conditions that have been applied.  If you are unhappy about any of these you can lodge an appeal within 21 days of the notice. If you wish to apply to change a condition (including the time period the approval is valid for) after this 21 day period, this can be done by way of a formal planning application.

Approval of Information Required by Conditions

If a condition requires you to submit information for approval this can be done by completing the form (downloadable documents) and e-mailing the form, any information/plans and a plan/drawing list to planningconditions@gov.im. Any plans should be of the same scale/quality as would be expected for a planning application. See our guide for making a planning application. Sometimes conditions require physical samples to be submitted for approval (for example of materials to be used), in such circumstances these can be dropped off at our reception during normal office hours.

Once we receive your submission we will:

• check whether you have provided all of the information required by the condition
  
  
• consult technical consultees where necessary (e.g. in relation to ecology or highway matters)
  
  
• consider whether the submitted details are otherwise acceptable and
  
  
• notify you in writing whether or not the information submitted is approved (by e-mail, if an address is supplied)

At the discretion of the relevant Case Officer we may seek additional/amended information before making a decision. If the information is not approved this does not prevent you from re-submitting amended information. We will endeavour to deal with your request as quickly as possible, and in any case within 8 weeks.