Prior Approval in
Marlborough (Wiltshire)
A full planning application isn’t always the fastest way to get building work started in Marlborough. 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 Marlborough
Prior approval covers several genuinely distinct project types in Marlborough, 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 Marlborough 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 Marlborough 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 Marlborough (Wiltshire)
Marlborough 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 Marlborough’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 Marlborough submission right through to the statutory deadline, responding to anything raised promptly.
Why Marlborough Projects Get The Classification Checked First
Every Marlborough project gets weighed against the actual legal conditions for prior approval, never assumed just because it sounds like it might qualify.
Prior approval’s speed only helps if the submission’s actually right the first time, so we focus on getting the Marlborough classification and conditions correct upfront.
Prior approval genuinely doesn’t fit every Marlborough 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 Marlborough
Which categories does prior approval cover in Marlborough?
Larger single-storey rear extensions beyond standard permitted development limits, office or commercial to residential conversion under Class MA, agricultural to residential conversion under Class Q, demolition, and larger extensions to industrial or warehouse buildings all use this route in Marlborough.
What’s the statutory deadline for Marlborough prior approval?
It depends on the category, 42 days is common for extensions, with 56 days applying to several other prior approval types, Marlborough’s council must work to whichever deadline genuinely applies.
Can Marlborough’s council refuse prior approval for any reason they like?
The scope is genuinely limited, Marlborough’s council assesses only the specific defined matters for that prior approval category, unlike a full application’s broader planning assessment.
Can I still get planning permission if prior approval isn’t right for my project?
Yes, if your Marlborough 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 Marlborough?
Class MA is specifically about change of use for Marlborough 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.
Is checking eligibility for prior approval free in Marlborough?
There’s no charge for the initial Marlborough eligibility check, you’ll know exactly which route applies before committing to anything further.