Pre-application highways advice on major planning applications

Help reduce overall costs in work and time of planning applications

The benefits of the pre-application advice service

We welcome and encourage discussions before a developer submits a planning application. Past experience has shown these discussions result in an improved application that is more likely to be successfully approved. Developers have found the pre-application process can reduce overall costs by cutting down on further work and time at the application stage.

The service has the following benefits:

  • Potentially reducing the time and cost involved in working up proposals including that of your professional advisers
  • Reducing the subsequent cost of abortive applications
  • Information on what you need to provide with your application
  • Help speed up the decision-making process once an application has been submitted

Details of our advice, fees and exemptions

Advice for major applications

Free service

A written response to the first request for pre-application advice will be provided free of charge, on condition that the following is supplied to us:

  1. Site plan(s) including access points
  2. Site address.
  3. Description / scale of development.

The written response will include:

  1. An assessment of the proposed development in terms of highway safety considerations, subject to the information provided.
  2. An indication of any specific matters which would need to be addressed to make the proposed development acceptable in highway terms.
  3. Details of any transportation documentation (e.g. Transport Technical Note / Statements) that would need to be submitted with any subsequent planning application for the proposed development.
  4. Guidance related to any relevant existing and emerging transport policies and strategies.

Chargeable service with tariff inc VAT (April 2024)

If further written pre-application highways advice is required beyond the initial Substantive Written Response (refer to previous column), or if site visits or meetings are requested, a fee will be charged in each case. 

10-24 dwellings

  • Additional Written Response £441
  • Meeting/Site Visit + Additional Written Response £704

25-49 dwellings

  • Additional Written Response £730
  • Meeting/Site Visit + Additional Written Response £1,087

50-99 dwellings

  • Additional Written Response £1,444
  • Meeting/Site Visit + Additional Written Response £2,174

100-199 dwellings

  • Additional Written Response £2,531
  • Meeting/Site Visit + Additional Written Response £3,245

200-399 dwellings or 1,000m2-4, 999m2 B or E uses

  • Additional Written Response £3,602
  • Meeting/Site Visit + Additional Written Response £4,331

400 or more dwellings or 5,000m2 or more B or E (Business) or 3,500m2 or more E (Retail)

  • Use Additional Written Response £5,051
  • Meeting/Site Visit + Additional Written Response £6,127

For development proposals that are not identified above, a bespoke pre-application charge will need to be agreed with the Transport Development Control team transport.development.control.majors@oxfordshire.gov.uk

For additional written responses, the following information should be provided to us on request:

  1. Details of the existing use of the site, including any planning history, if appropriate
  2. Description of the proposed development, with sketch plans if available
  3. Scoping for a Transport Statement/Assessment or a draft of these documents
  4. Any further information considered critical to the proposal at the pre-application stage
  5. A signed application form.

Meetings (other than any that take place on site) will be held at the offices (or virtually) of the county council or relevant district council. A Transport Development Control Officer will be present.

Exemptions

Charges will not be levied on:

  1. Enforcement enquiries
  2. Registered Charities (See Note 3)
  3. Public or Voluntary Sector non-profit making developments
  4. Any of the Oxfordshire District Councils

Information

The above are the charges that will generally apply. However, for mixed-use development proposals or other large complex sites, a higher fee may be charged than would be the case for the individual elements of the scheme. In these situations, please refer to the County Council’s Major Planning Applications Team in the first instance. For large strategic sites, a Planning Performance Agreement may be considered as an alternative approach in partnership with the relevant Local Planning Authority.

For proposals not covered by the above definitions or additional requirements such as the use of the transport model, please refer to the County Council’s Major Planning Applications Team in the first instance.

A charitable institution will benefit from no charge where the chargeable development will be used wholly, or mainly, for charitable purposes. To qualify for charitable relief, the following criteria must be filled in.

  • The claimant must be a registered charitable institution.
  • The claimant must own material interest relevant in the land.
  • The claimant must not own this interest jointly with a person who is not a charitable institution.

Please indicate as part of your submission if you wish your pre-application to be treated as confidential as the response provided by Oxfordshire County Council may be shared with the local planning authority.

Advice for minor applications

Free service

A written response to the first request for pre-application advice will be provided free of charge, on condition that the following is supplied to the county council:

  • Site Plan(s) including access points.
  • Site address.
  • Description / Scale of development.

The written response will include:

  1. An assessment of the proposed development in terms of highways safety considerations, subject to the information provided.
  2. An indication of any specific matters which would need to be addressed in order to make the proposed development acceptable in highway terms.
  3. Details of any transportation documentation (e.g. Transport Technical Note / Statements) that would need to be submitted with any subsequent planning application for the proposed development.
  4. Guidance related to any relevant existing and emerging transport policies and strategies.

Chargeable service with tariff inc VAT (April 2024)

If further written advice is required beyond the initial response provided, or if a site visit or meeting is requested, a fee will be charged in each case:

Less than 10 dwellings

  • Additional written response or
  • Meeting or site visit £368.00

For Additional written responses, the following information should be provided to the county council on request:

  1. Details of the existing use of the site, including any planning history, if appropriate.
  2. Description of the proposed development, with sketch plans if available.
  3. Any further information considered critical to the proposal at the pre-application stage.

Meetings (other than any that take place on-site) will be held at the offices (or virtually) of the County Council or relevant District Council. A Transport Development Control Officer will be present.

Exemptions

Charges will not be levied on:

  1. Enforcement enquiries
  2. Registered charities (See below)
  3. Public or voluntary sector non-profit making developments
  4. Any of the Oxfordshire District Councils

Information

The above are the charges that will generally apply. However, for mixed-use development proposals or other large complex sites a higher fee may be charged than would be the case for the individual elements of the scheme. In these situations, please refer to the County Council’s Major Planning Applications Team in the first instance.

For large strategic sites a Planning Performance Agreement may be consideration as an alternative approach in partnership with the relevant Local Planning Authority. For proposals not covered by the above definitions or additional requirements such as use of the transport model, please refer to the our Major Planning Applications Team in the first instance.

A charitable institution will benefit from no charge where the chargeable development will be used wholly, or mainly, for charitable purposes. To qualify for charitable relief, the following criteria must be met:

  • The claimant must be a registered charitable institution.
  • The claimant must own material interest relevant in the land.
  • The claimant must not own this interest jointly with a person who is not a charitable institution.

Please indicate as part of your submission if you wish your pre-application to be treated as confidential as the response provided by us may be shared with the local planning authority.

We operate a pre-application highway advice service for developers. The information below provides guidance on this service and the charging arrangements.

What advice can I expect?

The advice can include:

  • Relevant policies and guidance.
  • Advice on the relevant level of detail and supporting information necessary to provide a valid assessment of highways and transport issues.
  • Whether a contribution towards highways and/or transport improvements is likely to be required.
  • Where a Transport Technical Note, Statement or Assessment is required, advice on the content, scope, preparation and presentation that is likely to satisfy our requirements.
  • Suitability of access arrangements (may require separate concept design check with associated fees).

How do I obtain pre-application advice?

Complete the form with as much detail regarding the proposals as possible.

Request chargeable highways pre-application advice

After your form is submitted, one of our TDC officers will be in touch to discuss your requirements in detail and make arrangements for scheduling the meetings or site visits as required.

The target for completing the pre-application advice response is 21 working days.