Question 1

What is pre-application advice?

Accepted Answer

Pre-application advice (often called a pre-app) is an informal consultation with a planning officer at the local planning authority before you submit a formal planning application. You describe your proposed development - typically with drawings, a site plan, and a brief description - and the planning officer gives you their view on whether it is likely to be acceptable in planning policy terms. They will identify any concerns (scale, design, impact on neighbours, heritage, ecology) and advise what information you will need to include in the formal application. Most local planning authorities charge a fee for pre-application advice, scaled by the type and size of development - householder pre-apps are typically the cheapest tier.

Question 2

Is pre-application advice worth paying for?

Accepted Answer

For straightforward householder extensions, pre-application advice is usually not necessary - the development management policies are clear and a competent architect or planning agent can advise whether a proposal is likely to be acceptable. For more complex or borderline proposals (large extensions in conservation areas, change of use applications, infill developments, conversions of non-residential buildings), pre-application advice is strongly advisable. It identifies problems before significant design fees are spent on a scheme that may not be acceptable; it gives an indication of the planning officer's thinking before formal determination; and it demonstrates to the authority that the applicant has engaged positively with the process. The pre-app fee is usually modest compared to the cost of a refused application, an appeal, or abortive design work.

Question 3

Is pre-application advice binding?

Accepted Answer

No - pre-application advice is informal and not legally binding on the local planning authority. The planning officer's opinion is given without prejudice to the formal determination of the application. The authority may reach a different conclusion when the formal application is considered by the planning committee or a senior officer, particularly if new material considerations arise (significant neighbour objections, a consultee raising a new issue, or a change in planning policy). That said, a positive pre-app response from the case officer substantially reduces the risk of refusal - and a negative pre-app response is a strong signal that the proposal needs to be redesigned before submission. Applicants should keep written records of pre-app meetings and responses, as these can be cited in a planning appeal if the authority later refuses the application for reasons that contradict the pre-app advice.

Question 4

How do I request pre-application advice?

Accepted Answer

Pre-application advice is requested directly from the local planning authority (the district council, London borough, or unitary authority for the site). Most authorities have an online pre-application advice request form on their planning portal or website. You will typically need to provide: a brief description of the proposed development; the site address and a location plan; indicative sketches or drawings showing the proposed works (these do not need to be formal architectural drawings at this stage - sufficient detail to describe the proposal clearly is adequate); and the fee payment. The authority will allocate the request to a planning officer, who may respond in writing or may offer a meeting. Response times vary by authority - typically 3-6 weeks for a written response to a householder pre-app.

Pre-Application Advice

Just so you know...