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Chorley Planning Applications: A 2026 Guide for Lancashire

Bhavesh Ramburn

Chorley planning applications: which authority handles yours?

If you are searching for a planning application in Chorley, Adlington, Buckshaw Village, Euxton, Clayton-le-Woods, Coppull, Croston, or any of the villages of the Chorley borough, the responsible Local Planning Authority (LPA) is Chorley Council. The council is a non-metropolitan district in Lancashire and operates its own planning service separate from Lancashire County Council (which handles minerals, waste, education, and county matters).

The planning service can be accessed via the Chorley Council planning service page. Application search, application submission, and pre-application advice are linked from there.

Note: Leyland is in the South Ribble borough, not Chorley. Properties in Leyland are handled by South Ribble Borough Council, not Chorley Council.

How the English planning system applies in Chorley

Chorley is in England, so the primary statute is the Town and Country Planning Act 1990, supplemented by the Town and Country Planning (General Permitted Development) (England) Order 2015 (the GPDO) which grants Permitted Development rights for certain categories of building work.

For most residents this means:

  • Permitted Development allows a range of small extensions, outbuildings, and alterations without a formal application, subject to the GPDO limits and any local restrictions.
  • Anything outside PD requires a formal application to Chorley Council, determined under the local development plan.
  • Applications are submitted through the Planning Portal, which hosts the standard 1APP forms and the fee calculator.
  • Chorley sits within the Central Lancashire sub-region and is covered by the Central Lancashire Local Plan, jointly prepared with Preston and South Ribble councils.

For the broader PD framework that governs what you can build in Chorley without applying, see our guide on Permitted Development Rights in 2026.

How to view or comment on a current Chorley planning application

Public access to the live application register is a statutory right under the Town and Country Planning Act 1990. Chorley operates a public-access planning register that lists all live and decided cases. The register is accessible via the Chorley Council planning service.

You can also use the Planning Portal for national searches. Members of the public have at least 21 days from the date an application is advertised (site notice and/or neighbour letter) to submit written comments. Comments must relate to material planning considerations — impact on amenity, design, traffic, ecology, residential amenity, heritage, or compliance with the local development plan. Comments that are vexatious or relate solely to private disputes (boundary walls, party walls, loss of a view) cannot be taken into account.

Application fees and statutory timelines

Application fees in England are set centrally by the Town and Country Planning (Fees) (England) Regulations 2012 (as amended). Indicative fees for the most common Chorley application types in 2026:

  • Householder application (extensions and alterations to an existing dwelling): £258.
  • Full planning permission for a new dwelling: £541 plus £162 for each additional dwelling.
  • Change of use: varies by class, typically £541 or higher.
  • Prior notification / prior approval (where applicable under the GPDO 2015): £120.
  • Listed Building Consent (where the property is statutorily listed): £293.

The statutory determination period is 8 weeks for householder and most local applications under the Town and Country Planning Act 1990, and 13 weeks for major developments (defined under the Town and Country Planning (Development Management Procedure) (England) Order 2015). Chorley generally meets these targets but can extend via a further-information request that pauses the clock.

Conservation areas in Chorley

Chorley has a smaller but still significant stock of historic towns and conservation areas, reflecting the borough’s position on the edge of the West Pennine Moors and its long history as a market town. Designated Conservation Areas include:

  • Chorley town centre — the historic core, including the covered market, the parish church of St Laurence, and several Georgian buildings.
  • Adlington — a former mill village on the River Douglas, with a Conservation Area covering the historic core.
  • Croston — a historic village on the River Yarrow, with a Conservation Area and a much-photographed village street.
  • Eccleston — a village on the River Yarrow, with a Conservation Area.
  • Hoghton — a village dominated by Hoghton Tower (a Grade I listed Tudor manor house), with a Conservation Area.

Within a Conservation Area:

  • Six weeks’ notice is required before any work to a tree.
  • Permitted Development rights are restricted for external alterations, cladding, and demolition.
  • Listed Building Consent is required separately for any alteration affecting the character of a listed building.

The West Pennine Moors lie just to the south and east of the borough. Properties adjacent to the Moors may be subject to additional planning controls aimed at conserving the moorland landscape.

For the underlying householder-application context — which is the most common Chorley application type — see our guide on householder planning permission for a garden office. For the broader UK LPA portal landscape, see our Bradford planning portal guide.

Next steps and resources

Editorial note. This article is for guidance only and does not constitute regulated advice. Chorley is a non-metropolitan district in Lancashire; South Ribble and Preston are separate LPAs. For project-specific questions, consult a chartered planning professional registered with the Royal Town Planning Institute (RTPI).