Prior Approval in
Castle Cary
A full planning application isn’t always the fastest way to get building work started in Castle Cary. Prior approval covers a specific set of projects, larger extensions, certain change of use conversions, demolition, with the council legally required to decide within a set number of days rather than the usual open-ended timeline.
Get StartedWhat Prior Approval Actually Covers In Castle Cary
Prior approval covers several genuinely distinct project types in Castle Cary, each with its own specific conditions. A larger single-storey rear extension, beyond what standard permitted development allows, typically gets a 42-day decision. Converting a commercial building to residential use under Class MA follows the same fast track. Agricultural buildings converting to residential under Class Q, demolition of a building, and larger extensions to industrial or warehouse buildings all use this route too, some with a 56-day deadline instead.
What makes prior approval different from a standard Castle Cary application isn’t just speed, it’s scope. The council can only assess specific, defined matters set out in the relevant legislation, not the full range of planning considerations a normal application invites.
Confirming eligibility properly comes first for any Castle Cary enquiry, not assuming a project qualifies for prior approval just because it sounds similar to one that does.
Right Route Confirmed
We check prior approval genuinely applies
Statutory Timescale
42 or 56 days, by law
Focused Submission
Built around what’s actually assessed
Fast Turnaround
Applications moved along quickly
How We Help in Castle Cary
Castle Cary projects get checked properly against the specific legal conditions for whichever category applies, larger extension, Class MA, Class Q, demolition, or industrial extension.
Once eligibility’s confirmed, the submission gets built around exactly what Castle Cary’s planning team can genuinely consider under this route, keeping things moving toward that statutory deadline.
Given how time-sensitive prior approval genuinely is, we monitor your Castle Cary submission right through to the statutory deadline, responding to anything raised promptly.
Why Castle Cary Projects Get The Classification Checked First
Every Castle Cary project gets weighed against the actual legal conditions for prior approval, never assumed just because it sounds like it might qualify.
A rushed or wrongly classified Castle Cary submission loses the whole benefit of this faster route, so accuracy matters as much as speed here.
If your Castle Cary project’s actually a full extension beyond what prior approval covers, we’ll say so honestly and handle it as a proper planning application instead.
Not sure whether your project needs house extension planning permission instead? We check that too, before recommending prior approval as the route.
Get Your Prior Approval Submission Started
Prior Approval FAQs for Castle Cary
Which categories does prior approval cover in Castle Cary?
The main categories in Castle Cary are larger rear extensions, Class MA commercial to residential conversion, Class Q agricultural conversion, demolition, and larger industrial or warehouse extensions, each with its own specific conditions.
What’s the statutory deadline for Castle Cary prior approval?
It depends on the category, 42 days is common for extensions, with 56 days applying to several other prior approval types, Castle Cary’s council must work to whichever deadline genuinely applies.
Can Castle Cary’s council refuse prior approval for any reason they like?
No, Castle Cary’s planning team can only consider the specific matters defined in the relevant legislation for that category, not the full range of considerations a standard application allows.
Can I still get planning permission if prior approval isn’t right for my project?
Yes, if your Castle Cary project doesn’t meet prior approval conditions, we simply prepare it as a standard planning application instead, the route changes but the project can usually still proceed.
Does Class MA prior approval also count as change of use in Castle Cary?
Class MA is specifically about change of use for Castle Cary properties, converting shops, offices, and similar commercial space to residential, a category we also cover in more depth on our change of use planning permission.
Do I pay anything before you confirm my Castle Cary route?
There’s no charge for the initial Castle Cary eligibility check, you’ll know exactly which route applies before committing to anything further.