Is your development acceptable in principle?

In practice, it’s the single most important question to get right early.

Before looking at detailed drawings, the council needs to be satisfied that what you are proposing:

• fits with how the borough is planned to grow
• won’t cause harm to the wider area
• aligns with local priorities (such as housing need, design quality, sustainability).

This applies whether you are:

• converting a house into flats or Houses in Multiple Occupation
• building a single house
• developing a small residential scheme (up to nine homes)
• bringing forward a larger residential scheme (10 homes or more)
• Undertaking changes to shop fronts, change of use of a premise, or larger commercial schemes.

What the Local Plan is

The Brent Local Plan sets out how land in the borough should be used and developed. It explains matters including:

• where new homes should be built
• how dense or tall development should be
• expectations for design, quality and sustainability
• requirements for affordable housing and infrastructure

Our planning officers must assess all applications against this plan.

Why this matters

If your proposal conflicts with the Local Plan, it is unlikely to be approved – even if it is well designed.

Checking policies early can help you:

• avoid spending money on designs that cannot be supported
• understand the scale and type of development expected.

Similar developments elsewhere in London may not be acceptable in Brent. Checking policies early can save significant time and cost.

What to do upfront

Before spending money on detailed drawings, you should:

• check the planning policy map
• read the Local Plan policies affecting your site
• seek pre-application advice if the principle is unclear