Planning Application Guide

In this section

Completion of Development

The end of the process

The development is not formally complete until you have completed the following:

  • Have your conditions been discharged and you have completed the development in accordance with the approved information?
  • Have you complied with any legal agreement under Section 106 agreement, e.g. affordable housing contributions.
  • Have all necessary approvals under the Building Regulations have been issued?
  • Have you completed the SUDs application process, you will also need to advise SAB of completion of the development?

It is often the case that applicants do not complete one stage of the process and the development can remain unauthorised/incomplete for some time afterwards. It is often at the stage when homeowners are looking to sell their properties and Solicitors’ checks pick up on outstanding conditions, or the absence of Building Regulation Approval.

By law, any planning permission granted expires after a certain period which is stated in the decision notice. Generally, unless your permission says otherwise, you have five years from the date it's granted to begin the development. If you haven't started work by then the permission will expire and you will need to reapply.