Pre-application advice for planning permission
Prospective applicants for planning permission can seek pre-application advice from the local planning authority.
This can:
- Help applicants understand the merits of a proposed development.
- Help applicants understand relevant planning policies and other material considerations.
- Improve the quality of the planning application so the likelihood of success.
- Help resolve issues associated with a proposed development.
- Improve the efficiency and effectiveness of the planning application and determination process.
- Encourage a collaborative and open relationship.
- Clarify requirements for consultation.
- Clarify possible planning conditions and planning obligations.
- Clarify the information that should accompany the application.
- Reduce the likelihood of delays.
Pre-application advice should be suited to the nature of the proposed development and on large or complex projects may benefit from a planning performance agreement. This is a voluntary undertaking that enables local planning authorities and applicants to agree the timescales, actions and resources necessary to process a planning application during the pre-application, application and post-application stages.
The National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) makes clear that statutory consultees should also take an early, pro-active approach in the pre-application process and should provide advice in a timely manner. Statutory consultees with a shared interest in a development, should engage with each other and seek to resolve any issues together.
Local planning authorities and statutory consultees may charge for pre-application advice, although they are encouraged to provide a basic level of service without charge. Charges that are made should be transparent, must not exceed the cost of providing the service and should not discourage pre-application discussions.
[edit] Related articles on Designing Buildings Wiki
- Cautions or formal warnings in relation to potential listed building offences in England and Wales.
- Charging for Listed Building Consent pre-application advice.
- CIOB Planning Protocol 2021.
- Detailed planning application.
- Development management.
- Environmental impact assessment.
- National Planning Policy Framework.
- National Planning Practice Guidance.
- Neighbourhood planning.
- Outline planning application.
- Permitted development.
- Planning appeal.
- Planning authority.
- Planning authority duty to provide specialist conservation advice.
- Planning conditions.
- Planning enforcement.
- Planning fees.
- Planning objection.
- Planning obligations.
- Planning performance agreement.
- Planning permission.
- Section 106 agreement.
- Statutory consultees.
Featured articles and news
Buildings that changed the future of architecture. Book review.
The Sustainability Pathfinder© Handbook
Built environment agency launches free Pathfinder© tool to help businesses progress sustainability strategies.
Government outcome to the late payment consultation, ECA reacts.
IHBC 2025 Gus Astley Student Award winners
Work on the role of hewing in UK historic conservation a win for Jack Parker of Oxford Brookes University.
Future Homes Building Standards and plug-in solar
Parts F and L amendments, the availability of solar panels and industry responses.
How later living housing can help solve the housing crisis
Unlocking homes, unlocking lives.
Preparing safety case reports for HRBs under the BSA
A new practical guide to preparing structural inputs for safety cases and safety case reports published by IStructE.
Male construction workers and prostate cancer
CIOB and Prostate Cancer UK encourage awareness of prostate cancer risks, and what to do about it.
The changed R&D tax landscape for Architects
Specialist gives a recap on tax changes for Research and Development, via the ACA newsletter.
Structured product data as a competitive advantage
NBS explain why accessible product data that works across digital systems is key.
Welsh retrofit workforce assessment
Welsh Government report confirms Wales faces major electrical skills shortage, warns ECA.
A now architectural practice looks back at its concept project for a sustainable oceanic settlement 25 years on.
Copyright and Artificial Intelligence
Government report and back track on copyright opt out for AI training but no clear preferred alternative as yet.
Embedding AI tools into architectural education
Beyond the render: LMU share how student led research is shaping the future of visualisation workflows.
Why document control still fails UK construction projects
A Chartered Quantity Surveyor explains what needs to change and how.
Inspiration for a new 2026 wave of Irish construction professionals.
New planning reforms and Warm Homes Bill
Take centre stage at UK Construction Week London.






















