Planning Permission and Strategy in Caernarfon
If you own land in Caernarfon and want to know whether homes could get planning permission, the answer starts with policy, not plans. We look at what the development plan says, what has been approved or refused nearby and what surveys the site needs. On promotion agreements we fund that work, and we never promise an outcome we cannot control.
Caernarfon · LL55Free site appraisal
Tell us about your land and we will call you back. No cost, no obligation.
Prefer to talk? Call 0800 088 6248.
- Free site appraisalNo cost, no obligation
- Legal fees coveredReasonable fees, on options and promotion
- Nothing to pay upfrontOn promotion: we fund planning
- Direct purchaseSuitable sites, with or without planning
- UK-wideEngland, Wales, Scotland and NI
Our work around Caernarfon
About 9 miles south-west of Bangor (Gwynedd), Caernarfon is part of our Gwynedd coverage, centred on postcode district LL55. Nearby, we also cover Bangor (Gwynedd), Pwllheli and Holyhead, all within 19 miles.
Typical work around Caernarfon: fields that need a masterplan before an application, land where self-build plots could suit the market and sites that need a fresh planning strategy. As Caernarfon is in Wales, applications are judged against Planning Policy Wales, and the buyer of land pays Land Transaction Tax (LTT).
If you have a site near Caernarfon that is stuck, a short call is the best place to start.
Our approach in Caernarfon
Honest about risk
No one can guarantee planning permission. We tell you plainly where the risks sit, what could be done about them and when a site is unlikely to succeed.
Technical work commissioned
Ecology, drainage, highways, flood risk, heritage and ground conditions, as the site requires. We brief each consultant and check their findings against the planning case.
Early engagement
We seek pre-application advice from the council where it is offered, and talk to neighbours and community groups before submitting, so concerns are dealt with early.
Nothing to pay upfront
Where we promote land, we fund the planning work. They are only recovered from the sale proceeds if the land sells with planning permission.
Planning and land rules in Caernarfon
Drainage has its own approval in Wales. Most new developments of more than one home, or with 100 square metres or more of construction area, need sustainable drainage approval from the council's SuDS Approving Body, separate from planning permission, before building starts. For land around Caernarfon, that shapes layout and how many homes fit, so our free site appraisal looks at it alongside access, Local Development Plan policy and the biodiversity requirements of Planning Policy Wales.
In Wales, decisions follow Planning Policy Wales, Future Wales and the council's Local Development Plan. Major developments need statutory pre-application consultation with the community before an application is submitted, and most new developments also need separate approval for sustainable drainage from the local SuDS approving body, which we plan for from the start.
| Local planning document | Local Development Plan (LDP) |
|---|---|
| In-principle consent | Outline planning permission, with reserved matters approved later |
| How a sale becomes binding | As in England, a land sale becomes legally binding on exchange of contracts and finishes on completion, with the title registered at HM Land Registry. |
| Developer contributions | Section 106 planning obligations, plus the Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL) where the council has adopted it |
Questions about Planning Permission and Strategy in Caernarfon
What is the difference between outline and full planning permission?
Outline permission establishes whether development is acceptable in principle, with some or all of the details, known as reserved matters, left for a later application. Full permission approves the detailed scheme in one go. Outline is often used to secure the principle on land before it is sold. In Scotland the equivalent of outline is planning permission in principle.
Who pays for a planning application?
Normally whoever makes the application pays the council fee and the cost of the surveys and reports. Under a promotion agreement with Land to Homes, we fund the planning work, and those costs are only recovered from the sale proceeds if the land sells with planning permission. On a direct purchase without planning, the planning cost and risk become ours.
What happens if planning permission is refused?
You can usually appeal, submit a revised application that deals with the reasons for refusal, or wait for planning policy to change. The right choice depends on the reasons given. We review the decision notice, take specialist advice where needed and explain the options. Under a promotion agreement, further planning work is funded by us on the terms set out in the agreement.
How long does it take to get planning permission?
It varies with the size of the scheme, the council's workload and whether a legal agreement is needed. Small schemes usually move faster than major applications, which have longer statutory periods and often need a planning obligation. Pre-application advice and good survey work add time at the start but often save time later. We give you a realistic view for your site.
Can you manage a site in Caernarfon from planning to build?
On land we take forward ourselves in Caernarfon and elsewhere in Gwynedd, including Bangor (Gwynedd), Holyhead and Pwllheli, we manage planning, design and construction. Tell us about the site and we will explain how we would approach it.
Read more: Planning Permission and Strategy · Guide: Planning permission explained for landowners