Planning forms

To start a planning application please visit the Planning Portal (opens new window). For information before you submit your application, see our planning information page.

For information on the fees for submitting a planning application, please see the Planning Portal fee calculator (opens new window). For requirements when submitting a planning application please see our local validation checklist.

If your planning application includes the development of a new dwelling (including tourist and Sui Generis accommodation uses) in the borough, it is likely that your application needs to be supported with a shadow habitats regulations assessment (HRA) and a planning contribution of £210.84 per net new house (or equivalent tourist accommodation) to mitigate in-combination effects.

Where the contribution applies, a Section 111 agreement (OpenDocument text) [33KB] (opens new window)  should be completed. Payments should be made when the application is submitted.

Please use one of the following payment methods if you are submitting direct to Great Yarmouth Borough Council:

• online
• payment line - telephone our 24 hour payment line on 01493 846117
• card - make card payments in person at the Town Hall
• cheque - make payable to 'Great Yarmouth Borough Council'

Please read the Habitats regulations assessment guidance and forms section that provides details of the requirements and how the Borough Council can help applicants meet them.

The Town and Country Planning (Development Management Procedure) (England) Order 2015 (opens new window) (as amended) sets out the national information requirements for planning applications, known as the national list. All planning applications must be accompanied by the information set out in the national list, otherwise they cannot be validated and the process for deciding the application will not commence.

In addition to the national list, the Council has adopted a local list. The local list clarifies what information is usually required for applications of a particular type, scale or location. The requirements for each type of application are set out in the pages below. 

When we receive planning applications, we check to see that we have all the information we need to determine an application, and that the plans, certificates and fees are correct. This process is referred to as the validation of the application and it is recommended that everything required has been completed prior to submission to ensure the application is passed to a planning officer without delay.

If a scheme is acceptable and permission is granted, then planning conditions may be imposed requiring the submission of further information. Further applications to discharge these conditions, for which a fee is payable, need to be submitted. Submitting the additional information from the outset - at the planning application stage - in order to avoid the submission of further details later that may hold up your development, may be prudent and should be considered. Areas in which information can be provided beforehand to prevent conditions being applied are listed in the local validation checklist guidance (PDF) [288KB] (opens new window) . 

In addition to the specific policy references included within the application pages below, some policies (within the borough-level Local Plan documents and the neighbourhood plans), include their own specific requirements. It is therefore recommended that, in addition to the requirements set out in these pages, the requirements of the relevant policies are submitted with applications. This ensures that applications can be validated upon submission, and appropriate levels of information are submitted to demonstrate compliance with policy and/or why an exception to policy should be considered.

The validation checklist requirements for each type of application, along with the appropriate application forms, are set out below. Please ensure you read the validation checklist requirements as well as the  local validation checklist guidance (PDF) [288KB] (opens new window) before proceeding to submit any application to the Council. 

• Full planning application
• Outline planning application
• Reserved matters application
• Householder development
• Change of use (where no physical and/or operational development is proposed)
• Application for variation/removal of condition
• Certificate of lawful use or development (existing or proposed)
• Discharge of condition details or confirmation of compliance with conditions
• Non-material amendment
• Listed building consent
• Advertisement consent
• Hedgerow removal notice
• Prior notification - agricultural (Part 6 - Class A) or forestry (Part 6 - Class E)
• Prior notification - agricultural buildings to flexible commercial use (Part 3 - Class R)
• Prior notification - agricultural buildings to residential (Part 3 - Class Q)
• Prior notification - change of use from offices to residential (Part 3 - Class O)
• Prior notification - change of use to a school (Part 3 - Classes S and T)
• Prior notification - demolition (Part 11 - Class B)
• Prior notification - large extension to dwelling (Part 1 - Class A)
• Prior notification - storage or distribution to residential (Part 3 - Class P)
• Prior notification - telecommunications (Part 16)

New developments have the potential to impact on internationally protected wildlife sites (as defined as habitats sites in the National Planning Policy Framework) within and close to the borough planning area. New development is therefore required to avoid or mitigate such impacts. If this cannot be achieved, permission cannot be granted.

Demonstrating that potential impacts have been avoided or mitigated for through documented assessment is an important part of compliance with The Conservation of Habitats and Species Regulations 2017 (opens new window). Planning applications for developments which are likely to have significant effects on designated sites must be accompanied by a shadow habitat regulations assessment. For certain types of development, the Council has produced a template assessment to simplify and speed up the process. More information on the habitat regulations can be found in the government guidance on appropriate assessment (opens new window).

Recreational impacts

The habitats regulations assessment of the Local Plan Part 2 (PDF) [1MB] (opens new window)  has established that there are likely significant in-combination effects resulting from increased recreational visitor pressure from new residential and tourist development, and this applies to the whole of the borough. As such, all residential and tourist accommodation development across the borough requires a habitats regulations assessment as part of the planning application process.

The Borough Council has worked with all Norfolk local planning authorities to adopt the Norfolk green infrastructure and recreational avoidance mitigation strategy (opens new window) that seeks to implement the necessary measures to mitigate the in-combination effects. These measures are funded by developer contributions from development likely to produce in-combination effects. As such, where applicable, with the relevant submitted shadow habitats regulations assessment, the Borough Council will require a planning contribution of £221.17 per net new dwelling (or equivalent tourist accommodation being six-bed spaces).

In order to simplify and speed up this assessment process, the Borough Council has developed the guidance below:

• Guidance for assessing impacts on internationally-protected habitats (PDF) [228KB] (opens new window)
• Indicative habitat impact zones (interactive map) (opens new window)

A Template shadow habitats regulations assessment (OpenDocument text) [17KB] (opens new window)  form is available which can be used in the circumstances indicated in the above guidance.

Where the contribution applies and no section 106 will be applicable for the development, a Section 111 agreement (OpenDocument text) [33KB] (opens new window)  should be completed. Payments should be made when the application is submitted.

Nutrient neutrality

Alongside all other local planning authorities in Norfolk, the Council received a letter from Natural England in March 2022 on nutrient pollution in the protected habitats of the Broads Special Area of Conservation and Ramsar site. The letter advised that new development comprising overnight accommodation such as new housing development, tourist accommodation and care homes within the catchment of these habitats has the potential to cause adverse impacts with regard to nutrient pollution. 

A significant effect from overnight accommodation will only occur where the wastewater from a development enters into the catchment of the designated sites. In the case of the Borough of Great Yarmouth all properties connected to the mains sewerage system are served by a treatment works which discharges outside of the catchment area. Therefore, for developments that connect to the mains sewerage system within the Borough, there will be no effect and therefore will not require a habitat regulations assessment for the purpose of nutrient neutrality (note an assessment will still be required for recreational impacts as detailed above). 

For new properties in the catchment that cannot connect to the mains system, and that are reliant on an on-site treatment plant such as septic tank or package treatment works, a significant effect cannot be ruled out. Therefore, any planning application for such development will need to be accompanied by a bespoke shadow habitat regulations assessment which identifies the amount of nutrients arising from the development and how the development will mitigate those nutrients and achieve 'nutrient neutrality'. Development not involving overnight accommodation but which may have other non-sewerage water quality implications should also be supported by a bespoke shadow habitat regulations assessment. 

Nutrient neutrality catchment

To find out if your development is within the nutrient neutrality catchment, and whether it is served by the mains sewer system, please refer to our interactive map. Please note, we cannot guarantee the accuracy of the wastewater treatment centre data and you should contact Anglian Water for further information.

• Nutrient neutrality catchment map (opens new window)

There may be development sites that are within the nutrient neutrality catchment area and fall outside of the treatment works network area, as shown on the map, but can still connect to the mains by extending the sewer network to serve the development. For those development sites, evidence should be submitted with the planning application which demonstrates that a connection will be made. In these circumstances, a planning condition will likely be attached to any planning permission requiring connection to the mains sewer system. 

Nutrient nutrient budget calculator

Norfolk authorities have produced a Norfolk nutrient budget calculator that can be used to help inform the content of a shadow habitat regulations assessment. This is a Norfolk-specific calculator, and other calculators are available, including the Natural England calculator.

The Norfolk calculator however uses local data to provide a more refined nutrient calculation having regard to specific local characteristics. The Norfolk calculator provides a rapid calculation of net phosphate and nitrate loadings from developments. This includes phosphate and nitrate offsetting calculations for on-site and off-site locations. It is a clear decision-making tool for local planning authorities and developers.

If you need help to complete the calculator, we recommend using a specialist consultant. We will be adding more guidance to help use the calculator in response to queries we receive and a Nutrient neutrality training video (opens new window) is available. 

• Norfolk nutrient budget calculator
• Norfolk nutrient budget calculator guidance

Natural England also offers a discretionary advice service.