Learn how development proposals are discussed or consulted on before an application is submitted.
Last updated: 2 July 2025
There are two pre-application engagement processes in Wales:
A statutory and non-statutory pre-application advice service that is provided by local planning authorities
A pre-application consultation (PAC) process that is mandatory for developers carrying out major developments
Before a planning application is submitted, an applicant may submit a pre-application advice enquiry to the local planning authority (LPA) to ask for their views on their development proposal. The Welsh Government introduced a statutory pre-application service in 2016 with set fees for different types of development proposals. In addition to this, LPAs can also provide a chargeable non-statutory service.
A pre-application advice enquiry is submitted as a formal application but a lot less detail is required than for a planning application. Sufficient information needs to be provided to allow the LPA to take an informed view of the proposed development. It will then issue a written response indicating whether or not the pre-application proposal complies with planning policy and is likely to be considered acceptable.
The statutory pre-application service is non-confidential. Therefore, all submitted information together with the LPA’s written response will be made publicly available on the online planning register on councils’ websites. Pre-application advice enquiries are not subject to public consultation but interested parties can view the details online.
LPAs can also offer a discretionary pre-application service in addition to the statutory service. This is for applicants wishing to engage in further discussions or meetings following the LPA’s initial response, or as an alternative to the statutory service. Details of non-statutory pre-application proposals are usually kept confidential and are not published on councils’ websites, so there are no opportunities for interested parties to engage in this process. However, the decision to publish enquiries or not may vary across councils so it’s worth checking what your own LPA’s approach is.
The LPA's response to a pre-application advice enquiry can give a good indication of how the subsequent planning application is likely to be determined.
It’s worth requesting a copy of any such advice if it’s not already provided as part of the planning application documents.
As part of the Planning (Wales) Act 2015, Welsh Government made it compulsory for developers to consult with local communities before applying for larger or ‘major’ developments.
The definition of major development is set out in the Town and Country Planning (Development Management Procedure) (Wales) Order 2012 (page 9).
Importantly, the PAC process provides the only opportunity for the community or interested parties to engage in pre-application discussions regarding new development in their areas. By talking to the local community, developers are able to understand local views and opinions on their proposals and will hopefully take them into account before they submit a planning application. Developers may also decide to seek pre-application advice from the LPA in addition to the PAC process.
Planning Aid Wales has produced this pre-application consultations guide for communities which helpfully outlines the PAC process in terms of what developers have to do and how communities can get involved.
The PAC process provides an excellent opportunity to try to influence a development that you’re concerned about.
Engaging with the developer before their planning application is submitted increases the chances of positively influencing the development to reflect local wildlife interests and for enhancement and mitigation measures to be designed into the scheme.