Before You Develop or Buy
Assess the planning position for a site, building or proposed use before investing in detailed design or committing to the next stage.
Town Planning Consultants
Understand Your Planning Options Before You Commit
Town planning advice for homeowners, businesses, landowners and developers across the UK.
Planning By Design helps you assess what may be possible, identify planning risks and prepare a clear route forward. Our town planners work with the relevant policy, site history and evidence to support informed decisions and well-prepared applications.
When Can a Town Planner Help?
When a Project Needs Direction
Review a proposal, previous council advice or a planning decision and discuss the realistic options for progressing.
Town Planning Expertise
Advice grounded in the planning context.
Planning + Design
Coordinate the strategy and drawings.
UK Projects
Requirements assessed for your location.
Clear Next Steps
Understand the scope and key risks.
What Does a Town Planning Consultant Do?
Assess Planning Policy
Review the policies relevant to the proposal and explain how they may affect the approach.
Identify Site Constraints
Consider planning history, surrounding uses and matters requiring further investigation or specialist evidence.
Develop a Planning Strategy
Discuss the available routes, information needed and order of work appropriate to the project.
Prepare and Manage Applications
Where commissioned, prepare the supporting planning case, coordinate the submission and liaise with the authority.
Choose the Support Your Project Needs
Planning Appraisal
An initial assessment of feasibility, planning requirements and risks to inform your next decision.
Planning Applications
Support with the relevant application, drawing coordination and supporting documentation.
Permitted Development Advice
Assess whether a specific route may apply and whether a certificate or prior approval should be considered.
Retrospective Planning
Review development or a use that has already started and discuss the appropriate planning response.
A Planning Strategy Built Around the Site
People and Place
Consider the proposal’s relationship with neighbours, local services and the character of the surrounding area.
Environment and Constraints
Identify environmental issues and the specialist information needed to assess or address them.
Practical Objectives
Understand your intended use, programme and priorities while explaining the planning limitations.
Our advice considers the social, environmental and economic context of the proposal. The aim is to identify a realistic approach and evidence needed, rather than assume that every site can accommodate the same development.
Start With a Planning Appraisal
Share the site address, your proposal and any previous decisions. Our Planning Appraisal can help establish the relevant planning context before detailed drawings or a submission.
Formal council pre-application advice is a separate service. It can help identify issues and information requirements, but does not bind the authority’s later decision. We can discuss when it may add value.
Planning Appraisal effectively becomes FREE if you proceed with any further Planning By Design service.
The appraisal fee is deducted from your quote/invoice, including if you proceed with drawings only.
Bring the Drawings and Planning Case Together
Architectural Drawings
Coordinate the design with the planning strategy, using drawings that explain the proposed development and its relationship to the site.
Planning Statements
Explain the proposal, policy context and relevant considerations in a supporting statement suited to the application.
Specialist reports may be needed for particular issues. Their scope and responsibility should be agreed early, so the submission is supported by the appropriate evidence.
How Our Town Planning Service Works
Tell Us About the Project
Send the address, a description of the proposal, drawings or photographs and relevant council correspondence.
Review the Planning Position
Assess the relevant history, policy and constraints, identifying missing information and the main risks.
Agree the Strategy
Discuss the appropriate route, scope, documents and specialist input before proceeding.
Prepare the Submission
Where commissioned, coordinate the drawings and reports and prepare the supporting planning case for your review.
Manage the Next Stage
Submit and liaise with the authority within the agreed scope. Explain the decision and discuss any further work required.
Town Planning Timescales & Fees
How Long Will It Take?
The programme depends on whether you need advice, an appraisal or a full application. For a submission, allow four weeks or more for preparation, and longer where surveys or specialist reports are needed. Authority assessment follows validation and may be extended. Share any deadlines, notices or purchase dates at the outset.
How Much Will It Cost?
Fees reflect the complexity of the planning issues and the services commissioned. A quotation should identify the advice, documents and application management included, alongside separate statutory fees or specialist work. Use our Cost Calculator as a starting point. Our Price Match Guarantee applies to genuine like-for-like quotations.
Town Planning in Practice: From Tearoom to Home
Approved Retrospective Planning Application
The client approached Planning By Design after changing the use of a tearoom to a dwellinghouse. Our planning appraisal identified the need for a retrospective planning application.
Our architectural team prepared the drawings and our town planners prepared the supporting planning statement. The application was submitted with the client’s approval and planning permission was granted.
Why Choose Planning By Design?
Planning Expertise
Our team includes Chartered Town Planners with experience assessing proposals and preparing planning cases.
Local Policy in Context
We research the authority’s relevant policies and site history rather than rely on a generic answer.
Design Coordination
Town planners and architectural designers can work together on the same proposal.
Clear Advice
Understand the principal risks, information requirements and options before progressing.
Defined Service
Agree whether you need an appraisal, supporting documents or application management.
No False Guarantees
Professional support can improve preparation, but the authority determines the application.
Town Planning Consultant FAQs
Is it worth using a town planning consultant?
Yes. Expert town planning advice is worthwhile even when the building work seems simple. A dropped kerb or fence can raise complex planning issues, and an application may need a strong planning statement and supporting evidence. Some proposals have little realistic prospect of approval. Early advice helps identify those risks, assess feasibility and decide whether and how to proceed.
How do I choose a town planning consultant?
Look for relevant experience and recognised professional credentials. Membership of the Royal Town Planning Institute (RTPI) is an important professional benchmark; ideally, choose a Chartered Town Planner with the MRTPI designation. Check who will handle your project, their experience with similar applications, what the quotation includes and how clearly they explain planning risks.
What is the difference between an architect and a town planner?
An architect or architectural designer develops the building proposal and drawings. A town planner assesses the planning context, strategy and supporting case. The roles can work together.
Do you only work on large developments?
No. Our team supports homeowners, businesses, landowners and developers. Share your proposal so we can discuss an appropriate scope.
Can you advise before I buy land or a building?
Yes. Planning advice can help identify opportunities and risks before a purchase. It does not replace conveyancing, surveys, valuation or other due diligence.
Is a Planning Appraisal the same as council pre-application advice?
No. Our appraisal is professional advice from Planning By Design. Council pre-application advice is a separate process with the authority. Neither guarantees permission.
Can you work with my existing architect?
We can discuss planning support alongside an existing design team. Send the drawings and clarify responsibilities for revisions, specialist reports and the application.
Can you help after a refusal or council enforcement contact?
Send the complete decision or correspondence promptly. We can review the issues and discuss suitable next steps, including whether a revised proposal or other specialist support is needed. Any deadlines must be checked for the particular case.
Does planning permission cover Building Regulations?
No. Planning and Building Regulations address different matters. Technical design and the relevant building control process should be separately considered.
Can a consultant guarantee approval?
No. A consultant can assess risks and prepare the case, but the decision belongs to the relevant planning authority or decision-maker.
Related Planning & Design Services
Latest News & FAQs
Planning updates, guidance and answers from Planning By Design.
Speak to Our Town Planning Team
Tell us about the site, your objectives and any advice already received. We will help you identify a practical next step.
