Planning Departments
Lancashire CC, 12 district councils, plus Blackpool and Blackburn with Darwen unitaries
Three tiers of planning authority: Lancashire County Council handles minerals and waste planning only - it is not the LPA for most development. The 12 district and borough councils are each the Local Planning Authority for all other planning matters within their area. Blackpool Council and Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council are both separate unitary authorities - they are entirely independent of Lancashire County Council for planning purposes.
Forest of Bowland National Landscape: The Forest of Bowland is an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (National Landscape). Local planning authorities apply higher landscape protection policies within its boundaries - contact the relevant district council for sites within or adjacent to the AONB.
Forest of Bowland National Landscape: The Forest of Bowland is an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (National Landscape). Local planning authorities apply higher landscape protection policies within its boundaries - contact the relevant district council for sites within or adjacent to the AONB.
Lancashire County Council
Minerals and waste planning only - not the LPA for general development
0300 123 6701lancashire.gov.uk/planning
Also the Lead Local Flood Authority (LLFA) for surface water flood risk across Lancashire. Consult LCC for any development affecting main rivers, ordinary watercourses, or with significant surface water drainage implications across the county.
Blackpool Council
Blackpool - the resort, Marton, Bispham, Layton, Norbreck
01253 477477blackpool.gov.uk/planning
Blackpool Tower and the Winter Gardens are Grade I listed. Significant coastal flood and erosion risk along the promenade frontage. The Fylde Coast holiday accommodation stock has substantial conversion and change-of-use activity. Blackpool is an independent unitary authority - Lancashire County Council has no planning role here.
Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council
Blackburn, Darwen, Rishton, Great Harwood, Clayton-le-Moors (boundary)
01254 585585blackburn.gov.uk/planning
Blackburn town centre has Victorian textile mill heritage. The borough borders the West Pennine Moors at Darwen Hill - moorland development is restricted. Former textile mill sites have widespread industrial ground contamination. A separate unitary authority - entirely independent of Lancashire County Council.
Lancaster City Council
Lancaster, Morecambe, Heysham, Carnforth, Galgate
01524 582000lancaster.gov.uk/planning
Lancaster Castle is a major Grade I listed asset. Morecambe Bay is a Special Protection Area with highly protected intertidal habitats - any coastal development requires careful environmental assessment. The Lake District National Park border runs close to the north of the district. Heysham has a nuclear power station - consult the ONR for development near the site.
Preston City Council
Preston, Fulwood, Ribbleton, Longridge (boundary)
01772 906900preston.gov.uk/planning
Preston is Lancashire's county town and a designated city since 2002. The Harris Museum, the Guild Hall, and the historic flag market area have strong Conservation Area protections. River Ribble flood risk affects low-lying areas of the city. Preston New Road, the first horizontal hydraulic fracturing site in England, is within the Preston boundary.
South Ribble Borough Council
Leyland, Bamber Bridge, Penwortham, Walton-le-Dale, Longton
01772 421491southribble.gov.uk/planning
Leyland is the home of BAE Systems vehicle manufacturing and has significant employment land. The Ribble estuary to the west has protected marshland habitats - consult Natural England for development near the estuary. Riverside land in Penwortham and Walton-le-Dale carries fluvial flood risk from the Ribble.
Chorley Borough Council
Chorley, Adlington, Coppull, Euxton, Eccleston
01257 515151chorley.gov.uk/planning
Chorley has significant former coalfield areas in its east - Coal Authority consultations are standard. The M61 corridor through Chorley is a major development zone. Rivington and the West Pennine Moors form the eastern edge of the district.
West Lancashire District Council
Skelmersdale, Ormskirk, Burscough, Upholland, Parbold
01695 577177westlancs.gov.uk/planning
The Martin Mere wetlands and Chat Moss extend into West Lancashire - significant ecological sensitivities for development near low-lying areas. Skelmersdale is a 1960s new town with substantial regeneration activity. The Lancashire plain here has high-grade agricultural land - development of Grade 1 and 2 agricultural land is restricted under national planning policy.
Fylde Borough Council
Lytham St Annes, Kirkham, Freckleton, Warton, Clifton
01253 658658fylde.gov.uk/planning
Lytham St Annes has significant Victorian Conservation Areas and golf course settings. The Ribble estuary coast is highly protected - development near the Ribble and Alt Estuaries SPA requires Habitats Regulations Assessment. BAE Systems at Warton Aerodrome is a major employment and safeguarded aerodrome zone.
Wyre Borough Council
Fleetwood, Garstang, Poulton-le-Fylde, Thornton-Cleveleys, Cleveleys
01253 891000wyre.gov.uk/planning
Fleetwood is a planned Victorian town with Conservation Area protection. The Wyre Estuary and Morecambe Bay are highly designated ecological areas. Low-lying coastal areas around Thornton-Cleveleys face coastal flood risk - consult the EA for any development near the coast or tidal River Wyre.
Ribble Valley Borough Council
Clitheroe, Longridge, Whalley, Sawley, Slaidburn, Dunsop Bridge
01200 425111ribblevalley.gov.uk/planning
Ribble Valley is largely rural with much of its northern area within the Forest of Bowland AONB (National Landscape). Dunsop Bridge is geographically the centre of Great Britain. The Yorkshire Dales NPA boundary is close to the eastern edge of the district. Whalley Abbey is a significant heritage asset. Rural areas have no mains gas in many locations.
Burnley Borough Council
Burnley, Padiham, Briercliffe, Worsthorne, Hapton
01282 425011burnley.gov.uk/planning
Burnley's textile mill heritage includes Victoria Mill and the Leeds and Liverpool Canal Conservation Area. Gawthorpe Hall (National Trust) is Grade I listed. The Pennine moorland forms Burnley's eastern and southern boundary. Former cotton and weaving mill sites require ground contamination assessment before redevelopment.
Pendle Borough Council
Nelson, Colne, Barnoldswick, Brierfield, Earby
01282 661661pendle.gov.uk/planning
Pendle Hill is the iconic landmark of the borough. The eastern edge of Pendle borders Yorkshire. Barnoldswick (known locally as Barlick) is home to Rolls-Royce aero-engine manufacturing. The Pendle Witch Trial heritage sites attract conservation interest in the rural moorland settlements.
Hyndburn Borough Council
Accrington, Church, Great Harwood, Oswaldtwistle, Rishton, Clayton-le-Moors
01254 388111hyndburnbc.gov.uk/planning
Accrington is noted for Accrington brick (Nori brick), historically used across the UK and in the Empire State Building. Former textile and print works sites carry ground contamination. The reservoir system in the eastern moorland feeds much of the Lancashire water supply - Natural England and United Utilities are key consultees for development near reservoirs.
Rossendale Borough Council
Rawtenstall, Bacup, Haslingden, Whitworth, Ramsbottom (boundary)
01706 217777rossendale.gov.uk/planning
The Rossendale Valley is a steep-sided valley town landscape with substantial mill heritage. The East Lancashire Railway (heritage steam railway) has a safeguarded corridor. High rainfall and steep topography make surface water flooding and landslip risks significant - ground conditions investigation is important for hillside sites. Many areas have no mains gas.
Building Control
BCO contacts for Building Regulations approval across Lancashire
LABC - Find Your Lancashire Building Control Team
All Lancashire councils - postcode search
Each council operates its own building control team. You may also use a Registered Building Control Approver (RBCA) anywhere in Lancashire.
Heritage & Conservation
Lancaster Castle, Blackpool Tower, Forest of Bowland, Pennine mill heritage
Historic England - North West
Covers all of Lancashire and the wider North West
0161 242 1400northwest@historicengland.org.uk
Manchester office covering the whole North West. Lancashire has an exceptionally rich textile mill heritage, with hundreds of listed mill buildings across the Pennine valleys. Lancaster Castle (Grade I) served as a prison until 2011 and is now partly open to the public. Stonyhurst College near Clitheroe is a Grade I listed building set within a designed landscape.
Lancashire HER - Lancashire County Council
Historic Environment Record for Lancashire
The Lancashire HER covers the historic county of Lancashire. Pre-application enquiries about archaeological significance can be directed to Lancashire County Council's archaeologists via the relevant district planning department.
Environment & Flood Risk
Ribble, Wyre, Lune and Calder flood risk; Morecambe Bay; coastal erosion
Environment Agency - North West
Flood risk, water quality, land drainage
03708 506 506Check flood risk - GOV.UK
Flood Incident Line: 0345 988 1188 (24hr). The River Ribble, River Lune, River Wyre, River Calder and River Darwen all have significant flood risk zones in Lancashire. The Lancashire coast and Morecambe Bay coastline are subject to both coastal flood risk and erosion - consult the Shoreline Management Plans for coastal development. Upland reservoirs supply much of Lancashire's drinking water - Natural England and United Utilities should be consulted for development near reservoirs.
Utilities & Infrastructure
United Utilities, Electricity North West, Cadent Gas, M6 and M65
United Utilities
Water supply and sewerage across Lancashire
0345 672 3723unitedutilities.com/developers
Build-over agreements required within 3 metres of a public sewer. Many rural Lancashire settlements are served by private drainage - always check for public sewer records before assuming mains drainage is available.
Electricity North West (ENW)
Electricity distribution across Lancashire
0800 195 4141enwl.co.uk/connections
Power cuts: 105. Rural areas of Ribble Valley, Rossendale and Lancaster district may have longer connection lead times. Offshore wind infrastructure in the Irish Sea connects to the Lancashire grid - high-voltage cable routes may be a consideration for coastal development.
Cadent Gas
Gas distribution across most of Lancashire
0800 389 8000cadentgas.com
Gas emergency: 0800 111 999. Many rural Lancashire settlements (Ribble Valley, Rossendale uplands, Forest of Bowland) have no mains gas - oil, LPG or heat pumps are the alternatives. Confirm mains gas availability for any rural development before design decisions are made.
National Highways
M6, M55, M61, M65, M66, A6 - strategic roads serving Lancashire
0300 123 5000nationalhighways.co.uk
The M6 is the primary north-south spine through Lancashire. The M55 links Preston to Blackpool. Development near motorway junctions will require Transport Assessments and National Highways consultation. The M65 East Lancashire corridor is a key economic route.
Trade Bodies & Professional Registers
Find vetted tradespeople and professionals across Lancashire
Federation of Master Builders
Gas Safe Register
0800 408 5500gassaferegister.co.uk
NICEIC - Find a Registered Electrician
MCS - Find a Renewable Energy Installer
RICS - Find a Surveyor
Accuracy notice: Contact details and websites change. We update this directory periodically but always verify contacts directly. Last verified August 2026.