The outline planning application process is used to find out at an early stage, whether or not a proposal is likely to be approved by the planning authority, before any substantial costs are incurred.
This type of planning application allows fewer details about the proposal to be submitted, as some details can be submitted for approval at a later date. These details are called ‘reserved matters' as they are reserved for future consideration and may be agreed following a ‘reserved matters' application at a later stage.
Reserved matters can include:
Appearance - aspects of a building or place which affect the way it looks, including the exterior of the development.
Means of Access - covers accessibility for all routes to and within the site, as well as they way they link up to other roads and pathways outside the site.
Landscaping - the improvement or protection of the amenities of the site and the area and the surrounding area, this could include planting trees or hedges as a screen.
Layout - includes buildings, routes and open spaces within the development and the way they are laid out in relations to buildings and spaces outside the development.
Scale - includes information on the size of the development, including the height, width and length of each proposed building.
There are two types of outline applications.
- Application for outline planning permission with some matters reserved
- Application for outline planning permission with all matters reserved
With regard to as and when it is appropriate and permitted to use the outline planning application procedure, the only definite exception when outline applications cannot be made is for applications for a change of use or for householder planning applications for works or extensions to an existing dwelling house.
With regard to Article 1(5) land, which is defined in the The Town and Country Planning (General Permitted Development) Order 1995 and includes:
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a National Park;
- an area of outstanding natural beauty (AONB);
- an area designated as a conservation area under Section 69 of the Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990 (designation of conservation areas);
- an area specified by the Secretary of State and the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food for the purposes of Section 41(3) of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 (enhancement and protection of the natural beauty and amenity of the countryside);
- the Broads.
While there is no legislative reason why the outline planning application procedure cannot be used for applications on Article 1(5) land, because of established government guidance and good planning practice, it is seldom appropriate to make an outline application for development within conservation areas and/or within the AONB. This is due to the sensitivity of such sites, which means that the level of information and detail required for a full and detailed appraisal of such applications makes the outline process generally unsuitable. Therefore, this council is unlikely to accept outline applications in conservation areas and Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty unless there is a sufficient level of detail for the impact of the proposal on the significance of the heritage asset to be addressed. If you wish to make an outline application in one of these areas, you are advised to discuss this with a planning officer first.
Information to be Submitted with an Outline Application:
The requirements for details to be submitted with outline applications are set out in paragraph 52 of Circular 01/2006, as follows:
With an application for outline planning permission detailed consideration will always be required on the use and amount of development. In addition, if access is reserved, the area or areas where access points will be situated must still be shown in the application. As a minimum, therefore, applications should always include information on:
- Use - the use or uses proposed for the development and any distinct development zones within the site identified.
- Amount of development - the amount of development proposed for each use.
- Indicative access points - an area or areas in which the access point or points to the site will be situated.
Most outline applications will need to be accompanied by a 
Design & Access Statement.
You will also need to comply with all the appropriate validation requirements, some of which will vary depending on the type of the development proposed and the location of the site.
Updated : Fri,25 Jan 2013