Pre-Planning Advice

Option 1: Pre-Application Advice

To submit a pre-application for any type of development you will require architectural drawings including elevations, floor plans, block plans and a site location plan, to show the property before and after the proposed development.

You will also require a detailed written planning proposal. You will then need to submit the online form and pay the relevant fee, depending on the type of development. If your development proposal is vague or lacks the required detail then you can expect an equally vague and unhelpful response from your council.

It typically takes 4 to 8 weeks to get a response to a pre-application. It's important to bear in mind a pre-application does not grant any approval or pre-approval. It will simply be a written response to advise whether planning permission is likely to be required, what would be required to support a planning application, and an indication of whether in principle it is likely to be approved or not.

Many councils are significantly backlogged and have removed their pre-application advice service. The cost of a pre-application varies depending on the project type, size and local authority fees. For smaller schemes such as residential developments, the cost is up to £600, although it can be a lot more for multiple dwellings or large commercial developments.

To view an example pre-application click here.

Feasibility Report & Quote

Following the pre-application planning telephone consultation your town planner will write a detailed feasibility report with all the findings, recommended course of action, and the likelihood of success.

This will include the project brief, the site location, local authority, relevant planning history, planning constraints, what will be required to submit a planning application and importantly the likelihood of success.

Our town planners are all RTPI accredited and therefore obliged to give you frank and honest pre-planning advice, which will be detailed in the feasibility report. If your project is high risk or not possible we will let you know and equally if it has a strong chance of being approved you will be able to move forward with confidence.

Once we know exactly what is required, assuming your project is feasible, the report will be sent to you together with an accurate quote for anything you need, including architectural drawings and planning applications.

We hope that your project will be feasible but if not, it's always better to find out before paying for architectural drawings or a pre-planning application. All of our quotes are backed by our price match guarantee and we will beat any like-for-like quote.

Chartered Town Planners

Once you approve the architectural design, one of our RTPI-certified town planners will check the drawings to make sure there are no obvious issues from a planning point of view. If there are any potential issues, we'll raise these and suggest alternative solutions or offer pre-application advice.

Our team will then write the required planning statement(s) and supporting evidence to clearly justify why, based on the relevant planning policies, your application should be approved.

With your approval, your dedicated town planner will submit and manage your application through to determination. During the planning process, it is common for councils to request additional information or minor design changes in order to avoid a refusal.

Your town planner will liaise between you and the planning officer, taking care of anything required throughout the collaborative process.

Without the help of a town planner, your design might look fantastic but may not meet the required planning policies. Additionally, even if your design is appropriate, if this is not clearly demonstrated with strong supporting evidence your application would be at risk of an unnecessary refusal. This is why we have both architects and town planners in-house working together on every application to ensure the best chance of success.