Outline planning permission

Outline Planning Permission is an initial form of planning permission in English land law, whereby the applicant gains feedback as regards the scale and nature of a proposed development from the local planning authority.^[1] It enables the applicant to see whether a proposal is likely to be accepted before going to the expense of drawing up a detailed planning application.^[1]

Outline Planning Permission was introduced with the Town and Country Planning Act 1990.^[2] It allows for certain "reserved matters" to be deferred until the submission of one or more Detailed Planning Permission applications, which if successful will yield Full Planning Consent.^[3]

These reserved matters may include:^[2]

• Appearance - how the building or place will look, including externally
• Means of access - routes to and within the site, including how they link up to pathways roads and outside the site
• Landscaping - the alterations or protection of the amenities of the site and the surrounding area, perhaps including planting trees or hedges as a screen
• Layout - overview of buildings, routes and open spaces both within and neighbouring the development
• Some elements of scale - this can include the height, width and length of each proposed building