Apply for planning permission
You can apply for planning permission and a range of other consents online through the Planning Portal from the link below.
The online process guides you through applications with help available at each stage. You can save your work and break away at any time. As soon as you submit an online application you get a reference number and we receive an email notifying us so that we can begin to process it.
You will be guided through the screens step by step to ensure you select the correct application form.
You can view the relevant privacy notice in relation to how we will use your personal information which is held against your application.
2. Fees, charges and how to make a payment
Different types of planning applications have different charges. You can find out how much your application will cost by using the Planning Portal fee calculator.
With effect from 6 December 2023 the planning fees increased in line with Government legislation.
You can download a simple guide to the increases here.
If you need further advice you may contact us on our generic email Planning_Policy@sandwell.gov.uk which is monitored daily but can take up to 10 working days for a response.
You can also contact our Planning and Building Consultancy Customer Service Advisors on :- 0121 569 4054. Please bear with us as we can experience a high demand in calls.
Make a PAYMENT
- Telephone - please contact our Customer Services Team who will be happy to take your details and get our secure payment line to call you for all debit/credit card payments
- By BACS (Bankers Automated Clearing System) Our bank details are:-
Account name: Sandwell MBC
Sort Code: 60-15-39
Account number: 69624178
(Please reference your payment with your application number or the location address of your submission). Can we ask that once payment has been made that you email Planning_Policy@sandwell.gov.uk with the date of payment, amount paid, application reference (if known) and payment reference. These details are required to ensure we can find your payment and enable us to process your application further.
- By Cheque – cheques made payable to Sandwell MBC
3. Validation Checklist
Sandwell Council adopted a revised validation list in September 2023 to assist applicants with relevant information that is now required for the submission of planning applications.
You can view the revised validation list here.
All planning applications are now required to provide Biodiversity net gain (BNG). Biodiversity net gain (BNG) is an approach that aims to improve biodiversity within the proposed development compared to before development commenced. Planning applications submitted following the dates referred to above cannot be validated without BNG forming part of the application submission.
Relevant legislation and further information can be found on the links below.
https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2021/30/schedule/14/enacted
https://www.gov.uk/guidance/understanding-biodiversity-net-gain#what-biodiversity-net-gain-is
From April 2024 small sites are required to deliver BNG. A small site is defined as:
- A residential development where the area within the site boundary is less than 0.5 hectares or the number of dwellings is between 1 and 9 on a site of area 1 hectare or less.
- A commercial development where the area within the site boundary is less than 1 hectare or the floor space created is less than 1,000 square metres.
- A development that is not the winning and working of mineral or the use of land for mineral working deposits.
- A development that is not waste development
- A development that is not a householder development
More information on the Small Sites Metric can be found here
Some Developments are exempt from BNG regulations. If you consider the application to be exempt from Biodiversity Net Gain (BNG), then this must be justified in the planning application, with photographs of the site as evidence.
The exemptions for planning applications are:
- biodiversity gain sites, developments undertaken for the purpose of fulfilling the BNG planning condition for another development;
- householder applications;
- self-build and custom build application for fewer than 10 houses on a site no larger than 0.5 ha;
- HS2 applications, Crown development, Development Consent Orders;
- temporary use of which any habitat lost will be fully reinstated within two years of impact;
- developments below the threshold, meaning the application impacts less than 25 square metres of non-zero distinctiveness habitat, and, less than 5m of hedgerow, and, less than 5m of watercourse, and, does not impact any priority habitat.
For further information: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/biodiversity-net-gain-exempt-developments
If you are applying under the self-build exemption, a biodiversity metric will still be required to provide a baseline value of the site so there are records in case the self-build aspect defaults.
If your application is not exempt then you must submit the following information with your application:
- the completed biodiversity metric tool showing the onsite habitat score as of the date of the application or for an earlier proposed date with justification
- And an accompanying BNG Statement (a full BNG plan would not be required to validate your application but will be required as a condition of any consent) which explains how 10% net gain will be delivered and clarifies the following:
- if any habitat degradation has occurred, the completed metric for before the degradation occurred
- the score in biodiversity units
- if any degradation has occurred, a statement that it has occurred, when it started and any evidence for the date it started and the score before the degradation
- a description of any irreplaceable habitat - defined in The Biodiversity Gain Requirements (Irreplaceable Habitat) Regulations 2024 Schedule 2 - within the red line boundary as of the metric calculation date
- a scale plan (showing north) of the onsite habitat used in the calculations and any irreplaceable habitat
In addition to the above, we strongly recommend that you submit a draft biodiversity gain plan providing information as to how the development has addressed the biodiversity mitigation hierarchy and how it is intending to meet the BNG objectives.
This will also help determine whether any section 106 planning obligations are required to secure either significant onsite habitat enhancements or offsite gains for the development.