6. Making a Planning Application in France

1. 6.1. Who Decides?
2. 6.2. Getting Planning Advice in France
3. 6.3. Submitting a French Planning Application
4. 6.4. The Planning Decision
5. 6.5. Notice of Planning Consent
6. 6.6. Extension of Planning Consent

6.1. Who Decides on French Planning Applications?

Although it is generally assumed to be the local mairie (in particular the mayor) who are responsible for determining planning applications, in fact, this is only so in a minority of cases.

If the mairie do not have a local plan in place, or they are a small commune (under 10,000 inhabitants) and do not feel competent to deal with planning applications, then the process is normally managed by the Direction départementale de l’equipement (DDE).

The DDE is the county planning and highways department. It is based in the préfecture, but has a network of local offices throughout each county.

The mayor will sign the consent (or refusal) on behalf of the public authorities, but they will not always make the decision.

It is not entirely unusual for the DDE to make a decision with which the mayor is at odds. If the mayor disagrees with the opinion of the DDE, they themselves can make an appeal to the préfet within two months of the decision.

Accordingly, do not always assume that all you need to do is get the mayor to support your application and that consent will be forthcoming.

The mayor will always be influential, but their point of view will not always be the determining voice.

At a minimum, you need to find out whether the local mairie has planning responsibility and, if they do not, the existence of any local plan.