Planning permission is one of the stages of building a new home that can make even the most enthusiastic homeowner feel slightly nervous.
And that’s understandable.
You’ve found your site. You’ve started imagining the house. You’ve probably spent hours looking at kitchens, windows and house designs online. Then someone mentions planning permission and suddenly the whole thing starts to feel much more complicated.
The good news is that planning doesn’t have to be mysterious.
The key is to understand that planning permission isn’t simply about submitting a set of drawings. It is about demonstrating that the proposed home is appropriate for its location and meets the relevant planning requirements.
The better you understand your site and its constraints before designing, the stronger the process is likely to be.
What is planning permission?
Planning permission is the approval you generally need before carrying out development that requires permission under planning legislation.
For a new home, that means demonstrating to the relevant planning authority that the proposed development is acceptable in its location.
The application will consider things such as the site, access, design, scale, visual impact, neighbouring properties and other relevant planning considerations.
The important point is that planning begins before the application is lodged.
Step 1: Understand your site
Before drawing your dream house, you need to understand the piece of land you’re putting it on.
This includes looking at:
- The site’s location
- Existing buildings
- Boundaries
- Access
- Topography
- Orientation
- Neighbouring properties
- Views
- Services
- Relevant planning constraints
This is one reason we always recommend treating site assessment and architectural design as connected processes.
A house that works beautifully on one site might be completely unsuitable for another.
If you’re still looking for land, read our guide to finding a site to build your own home in Cork before committing to a purchase.
Step 2: Establish what you want to build
The planning process is much easier when you know what you’re trying to achieve.
How many bedrooms do you need? How much living space? Do you work from home? Do you need a garage, home office, boot room or separate guest accommodation?
More importantly, what does your family need from the house over the next twenty or thirty years?
At KMC Homes, we call this your forever home for a reason.
A new build is a rare opportunity to design a house around your life rather than trying to make your life fit an existing house.
Step 3: Consider the budget
It is surprisingly common for homeowners to spend significant time developing a design before properly understanding what it is going to cost.
That can create problems later.
If your budget is €750,000, for example, there is little point developing a design that realistically requires €1 million to build.
The budget should influence the design from the beginning.
Our guide to the cost of building a house in Cork explores the different factors that influence construction costs.
The objective isn’t to make the design smaller simply to save money. It is to make sure the money is being spent on the things that genuinely matter to you.
Step 4: Consider pre-planning
Pre-planning isn’t always essential, but it can be extremely useful.
The purpose is to have an early conversation about the proposal and identify potential planning issues before the final application is prepared.
This can be particularly valuable where there are uncertainties around the site.
Kieran McCarthy has previously written about the importance of pre-planning and how it can help de-risk the project before significant design work is completed.
For a rural site, for example, there may be questions around local needs requirements. There may also be concerns around the proposed location within a larger landholding, access or the relationship between the proposed house and neighbouring properties.
Finding those issues early is much better than discovering them after months of design work.
Step 5: Develop the architectural design
Now the design can start to take shape.
This is where planning and good architecture come together.
A successful design isn’t simply one that gets planning permission. It should also be a house that works beautifully for the people who live there.
The position of the house, its height, roof form, windows, materials and relationship with neighbouring properties all matter.
So does the inside.
The best designs consider natural light, circulation, views, privacy, storage and how spaces connect with each other.
You can see examples of different approaches in the KMC house design portfolio.
Step 6: Prepare the planning application
Once the design has been developed, the relevant drawings, reports and supporting information can be prepared.
Exactly what is required will depend on the nature and location of the development.
This is one of the areas where having an experienced team can make life considerably easier. Rather than the homeowner trying to understand every technical requirement themselves, the professionals involved coordinate the necessary information and prepare the application.
At KMC, planning is part of the wider Design & Build process rather than a completely separate stage.
Step 7: Submit the application
Once the application is complete, it can be submitted to the relevant planning authority.
There is then a statutory process around the application, including public notification and the opportunity for submissions or observations.
The planning authority assesses the proposal and may request further information where necessary.
The important thing at this stage is patience.
Planning is a process, and trying to second-guess or rush it rarely helps.
For a straightforward application, you will typically receive an initial decision within eight weeks. If the decision is positive, the final grant of permission is generally issued within a further four weeks.
Step 8: Respond to further information if required
Sometimes the planning authority asks for additional information before making a decision.
This doesn’t automatically mean the application is in trouble.
It may simply mean the planner needs clarification or additional information before they can make a decision.
How you respond matters, however.
The response needs to address the issues raised properly and, where necessary, may involve changes to the design or supporting documentation.
Step 9: Receive the decision
The planning authority will ultimately issue a decision.
If permission is granted, there may be conditions attached that need to be addressed before the project progresses.
If permission is refused, it is important to understand why.
A refusal doesn’t necessarily mean the site can never be developed. It may mean that the particular proposal needs to be reconsidered.
This is why the work carried out before the application is so important.
How long does planning permission take?
There isn’t one universal answer because every application is different.
The statutory planning process has defined stages, but the overall programme can be affected by further information requests, appeals, complexity and other issues.
For a straightforward application, the initial decision is typically within eight weeks, with a further four weeks generally required for the final grant where permission is approved.
This is why we recommend allowing sufficient time for planning rather than building your entire project programme around the most optimistic possible scenario.
What are the most common planning problems?
Some issues come up repeatedly.
Designing before understanding the site
The site should inform the house, not the other way around.
Ignoring neighbouring properties
Overlooking, privacy and visual impact can all become important considerations.
Treating planning as an administrative exercise
Planning is not just about paperwork. The design itself needs to respond to its surroundings.
Leaving planning until after major design decisions
The earlier potential planning constraints are understood, the easier they are to work with.
Not thinking about budget
A planning-approved house still needs to be affordable to build.
Planning permission is only one part of the journey
Getting planning permission can feel like the main event, but it is really one milestone in a much bigger process.
After planning comes detailed preparation, construction and ultimately the finishing of your home.
That is why an integrated approach can be useful.
At KMC Homes, the same team that understands the design and planning process is also involved in delivering the construction. This means decisions can be considered in the context of the complete project rather than in isolation.
Can KMC Homes help if I already have planning permission?
Yes.
If you already have planning permission, the project doesn’t necessarily need to start again from scratch.
KMC can assess the existing design, estimate the construction cost and, where necessary, value engineer the proposal so that it aligns with your budget before moving towards construction.
Don’t think of planning as something to get through
Planning permission can sometimes feel like an obstacle standing between you and your new home.
We think it is more useful to see it as part of the design process.
A good planning application should demonstrate that your proposed home belongs on its site. It should respond to its surroundings, work for your family and be realistic to build.
Get those fundamentals right and planning becomes much less intimidating.
And, perhaps more importantly, you end up with a better house at the end of it.
