Prior Approval in
Fareham
A full planning application isn’t always the fastest way to get building work started in Fareham. 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 Fareham
Picking the wrong path for a Fareham project, treating something as needing full planning permission when prior approval genuinely fits, or vice versa, wastes real time and real money. Nailing the classification early matters more than most people expect.
Each prior approval category in Fareham carries its own conditions and its own statutory deadline, generally 42 or 56 days depending on which one applies, with the council’s review confined to specific matters set out in legislation rather than a broad planning assessment.
Confirming eligibility properly comes first for any Fareham 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 Fareham
Fareham 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 Fareham’s planning team can genuinely consider under this route, keeping things moving toward that statutory deadline.
Once submitted, we track the statutory deadline for your Fareham project closely, since missing council communication near that date can genuinely matter.
Getting Fareham Prior Approval Right The First Time
We’d rather confirm honestly that your Fareham project doesn’t qualify for prior approval than submit something destined to fail on a technicality.
Prior approval’s speed only helps if the submission’s actually right the first time, so we focus on getting the Fareham classification and conditions correct upfront.
Prior approval genuinely doesn’t fit every Fareham project, and we’d rather steer you toward the right route from the start than force a poor fit.
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 Fareham
What projects actually qualify for prior approval in Fareham?
The main categories in Fareham 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 Fareham prior approval?
It depends on the category, 42 days is common for extensions, with 56 days applying to several other prior approval types, Fareham’s council must work to whichever deadline genuinely applies.
Can Fareham’s council refuse prior approval for any reason they like?
No, Fareham’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 Fareham 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.
How does Class MA relate to change of use for Fareham properties?
Yes, Class MA is genuinely a change of use route, covering Class E commercial buildings converting to residential in Fareham, worth reading alongside our change of use planning permission.
Do I pay anything before you confirm my Fareham route?
Yes, confirming whether your Fareham project genuinely qualifies costs nothing, that comes before any discussion of fees for preparing the actual submission.