Which works need a prior declaration
The prior declaration covers new floor area of between 5 and 20 m² (that threshold rises to 40 m² in urban zones covered by a PLU), changes to the external appearance of a building, changes of use that leave the structure untouched, and the fences, pools and shelters your commune makes subject to consent.
Choosing the right regime matters: filing a declaration where a building permit is required, or the other way round, costs weeks. We analyse your project and identify the consent that genuinely applies before assembling the file.
A file that matches the local rules
The prior declaration file brings together the Cerfa form, the site location plan, the block plan, a drawing or view of the altered elevations and, where the project calls for it, a representation of the external appearance and an integration into the surroundings. We complete every heading in line with the local town planning rules: heights, siting, materials and colours allowed in your sector.
That rigour reduces the risk of an objection or a request for changes, and speeds up the delivery of your receipt.
Shorter timescales than a permit
A prior declaration is normally reviewed within one month of filing, against two months for a building permit. That period can be extended to two months in protected sectors. Once a favourable decision is issued, or the period has passed without objection, you can start your works with full legal certainty.
Remember to display the consent on the site for the whole duration of the works: it is what starts the third party appeal period, and therefore what makes your project definitively secure.