Amendments to planning applications and approvals

Amendments to Planning Applications (Prior to Determination)

An administration fee of £90 is chargeable for any amendment to a planning application submitted after the planning application has been validated. The fee is applied to plans which seek to alter the proposed development at the request of the applicant, the plans or information being required by the Office of Planning and Building Control because the original plans or supporting information is considered to be inaccurate or misleading, or has been requested to allow the proposed development to be properly considered.

The Office of Planning and Building Control retains the right to waive the administration fee in instances where additional plans or information have been submitted at the suggestion of a planning officer as part of their consideration of an application and which seek design improvements. The right to waive the fee does not apply to plans or information which have been sought to correct inaccuracies or to make the application capable of being considered.

If amendments are submitted without the administration fee and the fee is not forthcoming on request, the application will be determined on the basis of the original plans submitted.

It is important that everyone involves in the process understands which are the current details being considered, and if planning is approved the relevant plans and supporting information will be referenced on the decision notice, therefore applicants should note the following requirements.

  • All plans as originally submitted should be named and numbered in a logical manner (e.g. 'Drawing 01 - Site Plan'). In the event that amended/updated plans are submitted during the process these should be numbered accordingly (e.g. 'Drawing 01 Rev A') and the amendments/updates listed on that plan (e.g. 'Access Amended').

  • Any amended/additional plans or information must be accompanied by a letter or e-mail which quotes the application reference number clearly sets out whether the documents are additional or replacement (and if the latter which previously submitted documents are to be superseded) and the reason for submitting the documents.

  • If the original application was made in hard copy, then any further documentation must be in hard copy (the same number of copies as per original). If the original application was made on-line then any further documentation can be submitted electronically (by e-mail).

  • All amended/additional documentation should be sent to the Case Officer (if you do not know who the Case Officer is then please sent to the general office).

The cover e-mail/letter form and the submitted information will be published and the Department may undertake such publicity as it sees fit having regard to the significance of that documentation and may, if it considers it appropriate to do so, prepare and publish a new site notice.

Amendments to Planning Approvals (After Determination)

The Department is now able to consider applications to amend planning approvals (this does not apply to other forms of approval), these are called Minor Change applications. The downloads box contains a flowchart which explains the process and an application form which includes a list of the information required to be submitted. Where relevant, an application must be accompanied by the relevant fee.

Development must take place in accordance with the permission granted and the conditions attached to it, along with any associated legal agreements. Where this is a retrospective application for an entire development, once approved the application is spent. However, in the case of wholly new, uncompleted development circumstances may alter following grant of approval (sometimes during construction) and an applicant may seek to revise their proposals by way of a Minor Change application. However, where these changes are fundamental or substantial or raise new issues, a new planning application will need to be submitted.

Minor Change applications must include various information, including an explanation as to why those changes are being applied for and why the applicant considers them to be of a minor nature. In cases where the site is identified as being at risk of flooding on the most recent flood maps published by Manx Utilities, a flood risk assessment should be provided – this should be proportionate to the change and can draw on any flood risk assessment provided for the original approval – essentially to demonstrate that the proposed change will not increase flood risk or undermine any proposed mitigation.

For any queries to this process, call +44 7624 685950 or email planning@gov.im