Pre-planning advice service

Pre‑application planning advice

Get early advice from our planning team to help your application run smoothly

We recommend that advice is sought from a chartered architect, planner or surveyor before you start any home improvements. They can provide advice on your ideas and guide you through the associated planning policies and guidance.

The council offers a pre‑application planning advice service to help you understand what planning permission you may need before you submit a formal application.

This is a paid service, but it can be especially helpful if you are unsure about local planning rules, required documents, or whether your proposal is likely to be acceptable.

By getting advice early, you can:

find out what information the planning team will need
identify any potential issues with your proposal
reduce the risk of delays, invalidation, or having to reapply later.

Many homeowners use this service to help make sure their application is clear, complete and ready to be assessed before they apply.

It is important to note, this service offers informal advice and does not guarantee that planning permission will be granted.

Contact us about our pre-application advice

You can request and pay for our pre-application advice service online.

Request our pre-planning application advice service

Different types of advice are available depending on the nature of your proposal. Select the option that matches the type of work you are considering.

What to include with your request

Householder and minor applications

When completing the online request form you should include any drawings or sketches of the proposal. Photos of the existing situation should also be provided.

For minor commercial developments details of the current use of the building or site will help to us to provide a more detailed response to your query.

Major developments

If proposals are close to the design stage, you may submit an urban design analysis of the site that defines its key characteristics, together with any drawings.

Types of advice and fees

Service	Type of development	Fee	Response
PREAPP 1	Householder (extensions and alterations to a dwelling)	£195.60	Written*
PREAPP 2	Small Minor development (1 home / up to 99 sq.m.)	£450.00	Written*
PREAPP 3	Medium Minor development (2 to 4 homes / 100 – 499 sq.m.)	£1,731.60	Written and meeting
PREAPP 4	Large Minor development (5 to 9 homes / 500 – 999 sq.m.)	£3,060.00	Written and meeting
PREAPP 5	Small Major development (10 to 24 homes / 1,000 - 1,999 sq.m.)	£7,485.60	Written and meeting
PREAPP 6	Medium major development (25 to 49 homes / 2,000 – 3,999 sqm)	£8,917.20	Written and meeting
PREAPP 7	Large major development (50 to 149 homes / 3,000 – 4,999 sqm)	£12,236.40	Written and meeting
PREAPP 8	Strategic development (150 units + / 5,000 sqm)	£15,620.40	Written and meeting
PREAPP 9	Reserved matters (pursuant to an outline consent)	Half full price	Written and meeting
PREAPP 10	Telecommunication mast and equipment pre-app	£441.60	Written
PREAPP 11	Advise of discharge of planning condition (per condition)	£622.80	Written
PREAPP 12	Pre-app advice on varying of existing planning permission	Half full price	Written and meeting
PREAPP 1-2	Meeting	£195.60	Meeting
PREAPP 2-8	Revised submission from same applicant within 6 months of written feedback	Half full price
PREAPP 2-8	Multiple options for pre-application request	Half full price (in addition to full price)

* A meeting can be provided as part of the PREAPP 1 and 2 service for an additional fee of £195.60.

Fees for significantly larger or complex schemes can be negotiated where a bespoke pre-application service is required. This also applies to project work.

Fees for multiple options and revisions

We will only be able to comment on one proposal under each pre-application enquiry.

Submission of multiple options will attract an additional fee of 50% of the selected pre-application service for each additional option.

We will consider one set of revised proposals from the same applicant, amended in response to our feedback and received within six months of the date of our written feedback, for an additional fee of 50% of the selected pre-application service.

Further revisions will not be considered unless part of a wholly new pre-application enquiry.

Strategic or complex developments

If your application involves the provision of 50 or more new homes or raises complex or unusual planning matters then a Planning Performance Agreement (PPA) may be appropriate for your development.

In its simplest form, a PPA is a project management tool which sets out key meetings and timescales for the pre-application discussions and subsequent application. PPAs can also enable better collaboration and engagement, better working relationships and allow Planning Authorities to secure dedicated resources. This can lead to better applications and ultimately better development and places.

The Council will calculate the PPA fee based on the meetings / submissions that are captured in the PPA project plan. The are calculated using the Council’s fees and charges schedule, with the key types of meeting / review as follows:

Service	Fee
Initial full review of scheme	See Pre-app 5 to Pre-app 9 (above)
Subsequent full reviews	Half full price for pre-app category (above)
Issue related meeting	£2,994.00
Planning committee presentation*	£2,994.00
PPA Admin Fee (GLA Referral schemes)	£5,068.80
PPA Admin Fee (Non - Referral schemes over 50 homes/3000sqm )	£4,232.40
PPA Admin Fee (Under 50 homes/3000sqm )	£3,372.00
QRP/CRP Full Review Planning Fee	£2,478.00
QRP/CRP Chair Review Planning Fee	£1,465.20
QRP/CRP Workshop Review Planning Fee	£1,329.60

*Planning committee presentations are normally only undertaken for larger strategic schemes (those referrable to the Mayor of London) and those which raise complex or unusual planning matters.

If your proposal meets this criteria then please contact the Council to discuss whether a PPA is appropriate for your proposal.

How long does pre-application advice take?

Householder and minor developments (PREAPP 1-4)

We aim to provide a response within 20 working days of receiving your enquiry and fee.

If this is not possible we will contact you within the 20 working days to agree a revised time frame.

Major developments (PREAPP 5-9)

We will contact you within 5 working days of receiving your enquiry and fee to discuss the timeframe for responding to your enquiry.

Planning advice from the Environmental Agency

The Environment Agency's Sustainable Places team offers planning advice relating to the water environment and waste management.

Download information on planning advice from the Environment Agency (.pdf, 353.6kB)

Last updated 01/09/26