Documents to Submit with your Application

What documents to submit with your planning application

As well as the application form and the necessary fee, plans and documents will be required.  When we receive your application we validate it to see if it meets national and local requirements.

Please use the South Hams and West Devon Local Validation List to check what forms, documents and additional supporting statements or assessments regarding drainage or contaminated land, for example, which you may require.

If you do not submit everything that we need then we cannot register your application and your decision will be delayed.

We have shown the basic level of information that you need to send us below. Different types of application will require more information and you must refer to our South Hams and West Devon Local Validation List to find out exactly what is required.

Plans and drawings

All plans that you submit must:

• Use a recognised metric scale
• Have the scale clearly marked on the plans
• Show a scale bar or at least have one measurement marked
• Show the direction of North

Please also:

• Give each plan a unique plan number and revision number if necessary
• Mark elevations with North, South, East or West (sometimes front, side and rear is not obvious)

Location Plan

The plan must show the application site outlined in red at a metric scale of 1:1250 (or 1:2500 in more rural areas) with a north point shown. Any other adjacent land owned by the applicant must be outlined in blue. The site location plan should also include nearby properties, their postal numbers and at least two named roads.

The Use of Ordnance Survey Maps  -  There are some important areas that you need to be aware of when you're using Ordnance Survey maps for a planning application.  The map can't be a Land Registry document, and it must not have been used for more than one application. The planning map must have the Ordnance Survey Crown copyright marked on it. You cannot use a screen grab or a photocopy, and if you're using a hand-drawn map, it can't be copied from an existing Ordnance Survey map. If you are copying or printing the maps for use in your application, you need to display the appropriate licence number.

Location / site / block plans can be purchased here.

Site/Block Plan

A site/block plan of the site to a scale of not less than 1:200 showing existing features of the site, e.g. walls, buildings, other structures and boundary treatments (i.e. walls and fences). All new works must be shaded in red. You will also need to show any trees on the site and indicate their location, species, girth and spread on the map. 

Other plans/drawings

The following plans/drawings should clearly outline any materials or finishes to be used. This may include render type and colour, roofing slates, eaves, verge details, and door & window styles:

• Existing and proposed elevations (e.g. at a scale of 1:50 or 1:100)
• Existing and proposed floor plans (e.g. at a scale of 1:50 or 1:100)
• Existing and proposed cross section/site sections and finished floor and site levels (e.g. at a scale of 1:50 or 1:100
• Roof plans (e.g. at a scale of 1:50 or 1:100) (if any kind of work or alteration to roof is proposed)

Supporting Statements and Assessments

Please use the South Hams and West Devon Local Validation List to check if you need to submit any additional supporting statements or assessments, for example, regarding drainage or contaminated land.

A Preliminary Ecological Appraisal (PEA) may be required for any application where you are undertaking work which involves:  works to a roof, roof space, weather boarding or hanging tiles e.g. loft conversion, roof raising, extensions, barn conversions to an existing building. Further details and other reasons for requiring a PEA can be found in the Local Validation Checklist on the right of this page.

Further information can be found on the Planning Portal.