Pre-Application Planning Advice in London: How It Works and Whether It's Worth It

**What is pre-application advice?**

Pre-application advice (also called 'pre-app' advice) is an informal consultation with the local planning authority (LPA) before a formal planning application is submitted. It is not a legal requirement — it is an optional service — but it is strongly recommended by planning professionals for projects where planning outcomes are uncertain.

• The purpose of pre-application advice is to:
• •Get the planning officer's initial assessment of whether the principle of the proposed development is acceptable in planning policy terms
• •Understand what information, documents, and drawings will be required in the formal application
• •Identify any specific design, heritage, or technical issues that need to be addressed before or in the application
• •Reduce the risk of refusal or the need for significant revisions during the formal application period

**How pre-application advice is delivered**:

Depending on the complexity of the project and the London borough's specific service offer, pre-application advice may be delivered as:

*Written advice*: The applicant submits drawings or a brief description of the proposal. The planning officer reviews and provides a written response — typically within 4–8 weeks. This is the standard format for most householder pre-application requests in London.

*Meeting*: For more complex or larger projects, a meeting between the applicant (or their architect/planning consultant) and the relevant case officer (and potentially the conservation officer, urban design officer, or highways officer) is arranged. Meetings are typically 30–60 minutes. They may be in-person or via video call.

*Site visit*: Some London boroughs offer a site visit as part of the pre-application service for larger or complex projects.

**What a planning officer will assess in a pre-application consultation**:

*Policy context*: Does the proposal comply with the adopted Local Plan (the London Borough's development plan), the Mayor of London's London Plan 2021, and national planning policy (NPPF 2023)?

*Design*: Does the proposal respond appropriately to the character of the area? Is the scale, form, and materials appropriate? For conservation area proposals — does it preserve or enhance the character?

*Neighbours and amenity*: Does the proposal cause significant harm to neighbouring amenity (loss of light, overlooking, loss of privacy, visual impact)?

*Technical matters*: Are there known issues with drainage, flood risk, contaminated land, or highways that the applicant should address?

*Heritage*: If the property is listed or in a conservation area — does the proposal preserve or enhance the significance of the heritage asset?

**What pre-application advice does NOT do**:

*Pre-application advice is not a guarantee of approval*: Planning officers are very clear that pre-application advice represents the officer's initial view — it is not a determination. The formal application is assessed by the planning authority (which may be a different officer) and is subject to public consultation, member oversight, and may receive objections that were not apparent at the pre-application stage.

*Pre-application advice does not bind the committee*: Where a planning application goes to committee rather than being decided under delegated powers, the planning committee is not bound by the officer's pre-application advice.

*Positive pre-application advice does not protect against refusal*: It significantly increases the confidence level of the application, but refusals after positive pre-application advice do occur — typically where consultation responses (neighbour objections, amenity group comments, heritage body views) add considerations not apparent at the pre-app stage.

**The pre-application process — practical steps**:

1. *Prepare the pre-application submission*: Typically a brief description of the proposal, existing drawings or a site layout plan, any sketches or indicative proposals. For conservation area projects or listed buildings, always include photographs of the existing property and its context.

2. *Choose the right service tier*: Most London boroughs offer tiered pre-application services — householder (residential extensions/conversions at lower cost), minor/small commercial (higher cost), and major (full commercial, at higher still cost). Always use the householder tier for residential extension and conversion projects.

3. *Submit the request and pay the fee*: Via the borough's online pre-application service (usually accessible from the planning pages of the council website) or by email to the planning department.

4. *Receive and act on the advice*: Review the written response or attend the meeting. Document the key points and any specific requirements the officer identified. Update the design or application documents to respond to the issues raised.

5. *Reference the pre-application advice in the application*: The formal planning application's Design and Access Statement or covering letter should reference the pre-application advice received, explaining how the proposal has responded to the officer's comments. This demonstrates proactive engagement with the authority and can positively influence the determination.

**Pre-application advice fees in London (2025 — indicative)**:

London Borough pre-application advice fees vary considerably. Note: these are indicative only — check the specific borough's planning pages for current fee schedules, as fees change and the service descriptions vary:

| London Borough | Householder pre-app written advice (approx.) | Householder pre-app meeting (approx.) | |---|---| | Islington | £150–£250 | £250–£400 | | Hackney | £100–£200 | £200–£350 | | Camden | £150–£250 | £250–£500 | | Kensington and Chelsea | £200–£400 | £400–£800 | | Westminster | £200–£400 | £400–£800 | | Wandsworth | £100–£200 | £200–£400 | | Southwark | £100–£200 | £200–£400 | | Barnet | £100–£200 | £200–£350 | | Ealing | £100–£200 | £200–£350 | | Newham | £100–£200 | £200–£350 | | Richmond upon Thames | £150–£300 | £300–£500 | | Greenwich | £100–£200 | £200–£350 |

*Non-householder projects (minor applications, commercial, change of use)* attract significantly higher pre-application advice fees — commonly £300–£1,500+ for written advice and £500–£3,000+ for meetings, depending on the borough and scale of development.

**Processing times for pre-application advice**:

Turnaround times for written pre-application advice in London boroughs vary from 4 to 12 weeks depending on the borough's workload and the complexity of the request. As of 2025, some London boroughs have extended pre-application advice waiting times as a result of staffing pressures. When planning a project, factor in pre-application advice turnaround time before assuming an early start on the formal application.

**When pre-application advice is strongly recommended**:

• *Always use pre-application advice for*:
• •Any extension or alteration in a conservation area where you are uncertain whether PD rights apply or where the planning policy position is complex
• •Any works to or affecting a listed building
• •Basement conversions in London (complex drainage, party wall, structural issues; planning policy varies significantly between boroughs)
• •HMO conversions in Article 4 Direction areas
• •Extensions that materially exceed PD limits (e.g., a 2-storey side extension, an unusually deep rear extension, a large outbuilding)
• •Any project where the design is novel or contemporary in a traditional area
• •Any project near a TPO tree where the proposed construction might affect the root protection area
• •Any project involving a change of use (dwelling to HMO, commercial to residential)

• *When pre-application advice is less essential (but may still be useful)*:
• •Standard rear extensions within PD limits in a non-conservation area — the planning policy position is clear; a planning consultant's own assessment of PD compliance may be sufficient
• •Straightforward loft conversions with rear dormers in non-conservation areas — typically clear-cut PD situations
• •Small outbuildings within PD limits — no planning permission needed at all

**Alternative to formal pre-application advice — Duty Planner service**:

Many London boroughs offer a free or low-cost 'Duty Planner' service — a brief telephone or drop-in consultation with a duty planning officer who can answer simple planning questions (e.g., 'is a 3m rear extension PD on a Victorian semi in a non-conservation area?'). The Duty Planner service is useful for straightforward queries but is not appropriate for complex conservation area or heritage questions, which require a more detailed formal pre-application consultation. Some boroughs have moved this service online (webchat or email query service). The Duty Planner does not provide written advice — so the consultation is less useful as documented evidence in a subsequent application.

**Preparing a strong pre-application submission**:

The quality of the pre-application advice received is directly proportional to the quality of the submission. A submission that is clear, well-documented, and raises the specific questions that need answers will receive much more useful advice than a vague description with no drawings.

*A good pre-application submission includes*:

1. *Site description*: Address, property type, listed building status (if any), conservation area name (if in one), any known constraints (TPO trees, flood zone, known party wall issues, proximity to public sewers)

2. *Existing condition drawings*: Floor plans and elevations showing the property as it currently exists (these can be simple — they do not need to be architectural-quality drawings at pre-application stage)

3. *Proposed scheme*: Sketches or indicative plans and elevations showing the proposed development — enough detail for the officer to understand the scale, form, location, and general appearance of the proposal. Dimensions should be included (overall size, depth from the rear of the original dwelling, height, ridge height for pitched roof extensions).

4. *Key questions*: Explicitly list the questions you want the officer to answer. Examples: • 'Is this rear extension likely to be acceptable in planning terms?' • 'Would the use of dark-painted aluminium windows be acceptable in this conservation area?' • 'Is a planning application required for this dormer, or is it within permitted development?' • 'Would the proposed design preserve or enhance the character of the [name] Conservation Area?'

5. *Photographs*: Photos of the property (all elevations) and its immediate neighbours and street context. Photos are extremely helpful in conservation area consultations — the officer can assess the built context without needing to visit the site.

**Using pre-application advice to de-risk a planning application**:

• The primary value of pre-application advice is de-risking. A planning application that goes in without pre-application engagement runs the risk of:
• •Refusal on design grounds that could have been avoided with earlier discussion
• •Requests from the planning officer for additional information (causing delays)
• •Being submitted with missing documents (also causing delays)
• •Unexpected conditions on the approval that are more restrictive than expected

• With good pre-application engagement:
• •The proposal has been refined to address the officer's concerns before submission
• •The application package is complete and well-targeted
• •Any material considerations (heritage, neighbours, technical matters) have been addressed in the supporting documents
• •The overall determination is likely to be faster (the officer is already familiar with the proposal) and the risk of refusal is lower

**What to do with pre-application advice when submitting the formal application**:

• The written pre-application advice response (or a note of any meeting) should be:
• •Retained as a record of the consultation
• •Referenced in the Design and Access Statement or covering letter to the formal application: 'Pre-application advice was sought from [Borough] Planning Department on [date] and is reference [pre-app reference]. This application has been prepared in response to the advice received.'
• •Available to provide to solicitors and mortgage lenders if the planning approval is subsequently used in a property transaction — it demonstrates that due diligence was carried out before the application

Note: Positive pre-application advice should be referenced carefully — the DAS should explain how the proposal responds to the officer's comments, not simply assert that the officer was positive. Where the pre-application advice identified specific concerns, the DAS should explicitly explain what changes were made to address each concern.