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Glocester building and planning departments to move planning applications online
Summary
Officials said the town will launch an online portal for planning and building applications in the coming weeks as required by the recent legislative session; staff will assist applicants during the transition.
Glocester officials told the council on Oct. 2, 2025 that planning and building applications will soon be accepted through a state‑mandated online portal.
A department head explained the change is a product of the most recent legislative session and that the town expects to go live with the portal in roughly two weeks. Staff said the portal requires applicants to create an account, complete online forms and pay fees by credit card, which may add a surcharge. Officials acknowledged that some residents will still visit town hall to avoid the fee or for assistance; department staff plan to help applicants learn the new process.
Why it matters: the change affects how residents submit planning applications and will change administrative practices in the building and planning departments. Officials noted Glocester processes relatively few planning applications (an estimated handful to about 10 per year) but said small, local applicants may need extra help navigating the system.
Officials said they advocated during the legislative process for population or volume caps to limit cost burdens from the portal vendor but were unsuccessful. The council asked department staff to publicize the new portal and to help applicants with the transition.
Next steps: the building department will begin accepting portal submissions once the system is activated; staff will provide support and information to residents and developers.
