How to Make a Planning Application: Step-by-Step Guide for London Homeowners

**Step 1 — Confirm whether planning permission is actually needed**:

• Before spending money on drawings and application fees, confirm whether your proposed works require planning permission or are permitted development. See permitted-development-rights-guide for a detailed breakdown. Check:
• •Does your property have permitted development rights (not a flat, no Article 4 Direction, no previous PD-removing condition)?
• •Does the proposed extension meet all PD conditions (size, height, boundary distances, materials, no front elevation element)?
• •Is the property in a Conservation Area (affects side extensions and some roof alterations)?
• •Is the property listed (requires both planning permission and Listed Building Consent)?

• *Quick checks*:
• •The LPA's planning portal — search by property address — shows planning history, Conservation Area designation, and any Article 4 Directions affecting the property
• •The national planning map at Magic.defra.gov.uk shows designated land (Conservation Areas, National Parks, AONB, World Heritage Sites)
• •Call the LPA's duty planner line (free; most LPAs have one) for a quick verbal steer

**Step 2 — Pre-application advice (optional but recommended)**:

For any proposal with policy uncertainty — Conservation Area extensions, large extensions near policy size limits, or unconventional designs — a pre-application planning advice consultation is strongly recommended before preparing full drawings.

*What it is*: A paid consultation with an LPA planning officer who reviews your proposal and provides written guidance on whether it is likely to be supported, refused, or approved subject to modifications. *Cost*: Typically £200–£500 for a householder pre-application. Some London LPAs have higher fees. *What you get*: A written officer response (usually within 4–6 weeks) identifying the key planning policy issues, likely design requirements, and recommended modifications before full application submission. *Value*: A pre-application that identifies a fundamental design issue (e.g., the extension will be refused in a Conservation Area without matching stock brick) saves you the cost of a householder application (£258) and the cost of redesign after refusal. Most architects recommend a pre-application for any non-standard proposal.

**Step 3 — Commission drawings**:

• For most householder applications, you will need an architect or architectural technician to prepare the drawings. A planning drawings package typically includes:
• •Existing floor plans (all floors affected by the proposal)
• •Proposed floor plans
• •Existing elevations (all elevations of the building, showing the existing state)
• •Proposed elevations (showing the extension on the relevant elevations)
• •Site plan and location plan
• •(For Conservation Areas) Design and Access Statement

The drawings must be to scale (typically 1:100 for plans and elevations; 1:200 for site plan) and must include enough information for the planning officer to assess the impact of the proposal.

*Cost of a planning drawings package (no specification, no Building Control drawings)*: Typically £800–£2,500 for a standard householder project.

**Step 4 — Complete and submit the application**:

All householder planning applications in England are submitted online via the Planning Portal at planningportal.co.uk. There is no longer a paper application process for most LPAs.

• *Application form*: The online form asks for:
• •Applicant details (name, address, contact)
• •Agent details (if an architect is submitting on your behalf — this is optional; you can submit yourself)
• •Description of development (keep this factual: 'Erection of a single-storey rear extension with a flat roof and bifold doors'; not evaluative or promotional language)
• •Existing use of the property
• •Materials proposed
• •Confirmation of pre-application advice taken (if applicable)
• •Checklist of accompanying documents

*Fee payment*: For a householder application: £258. For a Certificate of Lawful Development: £206. Payment is made online during submission. Some LPAs also accept bank transfer or cheque but online payment is standard.

• *Mandatory documents for a householder application*:
• •Completed application form
• •Location plan at 1:1250 or 1:2500 — can be purchased from the Planning Portal map service (£2.50–£8.00 for an OS extract)
• •Site plan at 1:200 or 1:500 showing the application site and any proposed works in plan
• •Existing and proposed floor plans
• •Existing and proposed elevations (including any elevation where the extension is visible)

• *What NOT to submit*:
• •3D renders or visualisations (not required and can be distracting)
• •Marketing photographs
• •Irrelevant supporting letters (unless they address a specific planning policy concern)

• *Optional but recommended for Conservation Area applications*:
• •Design and Access Statement: a short document explaining the design rationale, how the proposal responds to the Conservation Area character, and what materials are proposed. Typically 2–4 pages. Some LPAs require this for Conservation Area applications even for small extensions.

**Step 5 — Validation**:

• After submission, the LPA validates the application — checking that all mandatory documents are present and the fee has been paid. Validation typically takes:
• •1–3 working days for well-prepared applications with all mandatory documents
• •1–2 weeks if documents are missing or the fee payment has not cleared

When validated, the LPA assigns a planning reference number and a 'validation date' — the 8-week statutory determination period starts from the validation date, not the submission date.

If the application is not validated (rejected for missing information), the LPA issues an 'invalidity notice' specifying what is required. You must respond with the missing information before the application re-enters the queue.

**Step 6 — Consultation period**:

• Once validated, the LPA notifies:
• •Neighbours (any property that the LPA considers may be affected by the proposal) — posted notice or neighbour letter
• •Parish councils (where applicable)
• •The LPA's own internal consultees (Conservation Officer, Highways, Trees Officer, if relevant)
• •Statutory bodies where required (Historic England for listed buildings, Environment Agency for flood risk)

Neighbours have a minimum 21-day consultation period to submit representations. Representations received after the consultation period closes may still be taken into account at the officer's discretion but are not guaranteed to be considered.

**Step 7 — The planning officer's assessment**:

• During the 8-week determination period, the planning officer:
• •Reviews the application drawings and supporting documents
• •Reviews all consultation responses received
• •Assesses the proposal against the NPPF, the London Plan, and the LPA's Local Plan policies
• •May visit the site (for larger or more complex proposals)
• •Prepares a report with a recommendation to grant or refuse

For a standard householder application that is straightforward and policy-compliant, the officer will typically prepare their report and issue a delegated decision (a decision made by an officer without going to committee). Only controversial or complex applications go to Planning Committee.

**The decision notice**:

The decision notice is issued electronically (to the agent's or applicant's email) and is also visible on the LPA's planning portal. It is one of three outcomes:

• *Grant with conditions*: Permission is granted, subject to conditions. Common conditions for householder applications:
• •'Development to start within 3 years of this decision'
• •'Materials to match existing house unless otherwise approved'
• •'No new windows to be inserted in [specified wall] without prior consent'
• •'Landscaping to be reinstated as shown on drawing [X]'

*Refuse*: Permission is refused, with reasons. The refusal reasons cite the specific planning policies that the proposal fails to comply with.

*Require further information*: In some cases (less common for householder applications), the officer may request additional information (e.g., drainage strategy, noise impact assessment) before making a decision. This extends the determination period.

**Step 8 — After permission is granted**:

• •Discharge any pre-commencement conditions: Some conditions must be discharged (approved by the LPA) before any work starts. Submit a 'discharge of condition' application (£34 for householder). Read conditions carefully — 'development to commence no earlier than receipt of written approval of materials' means you cannot start until materials are approved.
• •Keep the decision notice safe: you will need it for Building Control, for the contractor, and for future sale conveyancing.
• •Note the 3-year implementation window: most permissions have a 3-year time limit for implementation. Work must start within 3 years — though once started, there is no completion deadline.

**Step 9 — If the application is refused**:

• •Review the refusal reasons carefully: they identify specifically which policies the proposal fails to comply with, and what would need to change.
• •Consult your architect and/or the duty planner: understand whether the refusal is fundamental (the site is unsuitable for any extension of this type) or design-related (the extension could be approved if materials were changed or the height reduced).
• •Re-submit with modifications: there is no additional fee for a revised application submitted within 12 months of the original (one fee-free revision per application).
• •Appeal: You can appeal a refusal to the Planning Inspectorate within 12 weeks of the decision date. Most householder appeals are dealt with by written representations (no hearing) and take 12–18 weeks. The Planning Inspectorate upholds approximately 40% of householder appeals.