If you are planning any building or demolition work in Cardiff you must:
- Do I need planning permission?
- Read our Planning Application Guidance Notes (PDF, 208 KB) which has more information about what type of planning application form you need to fill in, as well as help to make your application.
- Find out how much it will cost.
- Use Planning Portal Wales to apply for planning permission.
Log in to Planning Portal Wales
You can also download planning forms and return them to the address on this page.
Application forms
All the forms and help guides listed here are also available from the Planning Portal Wales.
Householder - Forms for extending and altering your home
For work around your house, including:
- external changes
- building a new structure.
you will need the following form:
Full forms - change of use, commercial extensions, shopfronts, etc
For building work on commercial properties including:
- Change of use, for example from one large house to flats or from one class of commercial building to another
- extensions and external changes
you will need:
Outline planning permission with some matters reserved
Outline planning permission (PDF 847 KB) may sometimes be appropriate when you need an agreement 'in principle' about your planned development, without having to commit to a specific design or layout. This type of planning application allows fewer specific details about the proposal to be submitted. Reserved matters can include: appearance, means of access, landscaping, layout and scale.
Application help guide (PDF 96.4 KB).
Outline planning permission with all matters reserved
Outline planning permission with all matters reserved (PDF 759 KB) means that none of the additional details, such as appearance, means of access, landscaping, layout, have to be specified at this stage. There is application information in the help guide (PDF 63.6 KB).
Reserved matters following outline approval
Reserved matters following outline approval (PDF 343 KB) If you have filled in one of the two types of outline planning permission forms (with either some or all matters reserved), you will need to fill in this form at a later date to get permission for the matters that were reserved - or not specified - before you start work. Help guide (PDF 35.4 KB).
Displaying adverts
If you want to put up an advert, such as:
- shop or business fronts (with or without lights)
- light projections
- hoarding
- hanging signs
- flags
you must submit an Advertisement Application Form (PDF 356 KB).
More information about filling in your application can be found in the help guide (PDF 24.7 KB).
Application to Discharge a Condition
An Application to Discharge a Condition (PDF 325 KB) is needed when a condition in the planning permission or listed building consent requests additional information. The details or documents you have been asked for need to be submitted for approval before your building work can begin. The help guide (PDF 19.6 KB) offers more information about filling in the application form.
Removal or variation of a condition following grant of planning permission
Removal or variation of a condition following grant of planning permission (PDF 346 KB) is for when you have already been granted planning permission but would like to remove or change a condition of the permission, for example changing the opening times of a planned business or commercial property. Help guide (PDF 35.4 KB).
Non-Material Amendment to an Existing Planning Permission
Non-Material Amendment to an Existing Planning Permission (PDF 330 KB) is for when you need to amend details previously approved such as a minor change of design or materials used on a project. Help guide (2PDF 26.5 KB)
Demolishing buildings
If you want to pull down your house, or business premises, we may have to agree the details of how you plan to carry out the demolition and how you propose to restore the site afterwards.
How to apply:
There is more information on the Planning Portal Wales website where you can also apply online for permission to demolish a building.
However, if you would rather fill in an application form and post it back to us than complete your application online, you will need to fill in three types of document:
- Demolition Application (PDF 327 KB) This is the main form to apply for permission to demolish a building or structure. This form will need to be posted back to us. There is information about filling in the form on the help guide (PDF 19.9 KB)
- At the same time as sending us your Demolition Application you must put up a Demolition notification (PDF, 23 KB). This must be filled in, printed out and put up on or near where the planned demolition will take place. It must be in plain view for members of the public to see and read easily. It takes 28 days from when you send off your Demolition Application for a decision to be made and your Demolition Notification must be on display for at least 21 out of these 28 days.
- Once you have put up the Demolition Notification you must complete a Demolition Declaration (PDF, 14 KB) and sign it and send it back to us to confirm that you have put up the notification for at least the 21 days required. If you have already put up the Notification, the Demolition Declaration can be submitted at the same time as the Demolition Application, if not it will have to be sent to us afterwards.
If your building is in a conservation area:
If you are planning to demolish a building or structures in a conservation area you will need to apply for Conservation area consent for demolition (PDF 344 KB). You can use the help guide (PDF 37.6 KB) when filling in the form.
This will run alongside a full planning application so two applications will be required in some instances.
Listed buildings
For more information about listed buildings in Cardiff you can contact the conservation team.
You must apply for Listed Building Consent (PDF 422 KB) if you are planning any demolition, alteration or extension which affects the character of a statutory listed building. Applications can be made online on Planning Portal Wales. A Heritage Impact Statement is required for all Listed Building Consent applications.
View listed buildings on a map
You need consent for work on any parts of the building, no matter what grade it is and if the feature you will be working on is specifically mentioned in the graded list description or not. Cadw have prepared guidance on managing change to listed buildings. Work can include other buildings or structures associated with the main listed building and may also apply to boundary walls. There is more information about filling in the application form in the help guide (PDF 47 KB). This will run alongside a full application so two applications will be required in some instances.
We strongly advise that a Discretionary Pre-Application enquiry is submitted prior to application.
Existing use or activity - Lawful Development Certificate (LDC)
If you own a piece of land or building and it is currently being used for an activity - such as to run a business - you can apply for a statutory document which can prove if that use is legal.
This is called a Lawful Development Certificate (LDC) and it proves if an activity or operation taking place in a building or on land is legal. This can include:
- if an area is being used to park company vehicles
- if an area or building is being used store equipment or stock
- checking the opening times of a building, site or business are legal.
This can be useful if you are trying to sell land but find out that planning permission was never granted and you want to show any potential buyers that the action or business taking place is lawful. You do, however, need to provide evidence to show the use or works have been in place for at least 10 years.
You can apply for a Lawful Development Certificate (PDF 479 KB) by downloading and filling in the form.
There is also a help guide (PDF 40 KB) with information about how to fill in the form.
Proposed Lawful Development Certificate
If you are planning to use land or a building for an activity, you can apply for a Lawful Development Certificate for a Proposed use or development (PDF 358 KB).
Use the Help Guide (PDF 24 KB) when filling in the form.
Owners' notice - and what to do if the owner is unknown
If building work is planned the owner of the land, buildings or site must be told, this is called giving notice. The owner of the site is the freeholder, or leaseholder if there is at least seven years of the leasehold left.
Complete an Owner's Notice Form (PDF, 27 KB)
If the owner is not known you must complete a Notice to be published for Certificates C and D and Owners Notice Form (PDF 117 KB) which must be published in a local newspaper.
You can contact us for more details or visit the Planning Portal Wales website.
Contact us
For more information about any of these application forms, or for general advice and support about your planned project, please contact us.
Development Management
Strategic Planning, Highways and Traffic and Transport
Room 201
County Hall
Atlantic Wharf
Cardiff
CF10 4UW
029 2233 0800
For application forms, general advice and support, please contact Development Management:
For Listed Building and Conservation Area queries, please contact Conservation.
