WHAT IS PLANNING PRE-APPLICATION ADVICE?
Understanding the planning position before submitting an application
Planning pre-application advice, often referred to simply as a pre-app, is advice obtained from a local planning authority before submitting a formal planning application.
It provides an opportunity to present an emerging development proposal to the council and obtain an initial view on the planning issues it raises.
Depending on the proposal and the service offered by the local authority, the response might consider matters such as the principle of development, scale, layout, design, access, planning policy and information likely to be required with an application.
Pre-application advice does not grant planning permission and does not guarantee that a subsequent application will be approved.
However, used strategically, it can help identify significant issues before considerably more time and money is committed to a development proposal. Government planning guidance recognises that early engagement can help identify and seek to resolve issues and clarify the information required for a subsequent application.
HOW DOES A PLANNING PRE-APPLICATION WORK?
The exact process varies between local planning authorities, but it will normally involve providing information about the site and proposed development.
Depending on the scale of the project, this might include:
Site location
Existing site information
Description of the proposed development
Indicative plans
Initial architectural drawings
Relevant planning history
Particular planning questions
Supporting technical information where necessary
The council then considers the proposal and provides feedback.
Some authorities offer different levels of service depending on the scale and complexity of the development.
This might range from written advice on a relatively small proposal to meetings and more detailed engagement for larger developments.
The information provided should be sufficient for the planning authority to understand the proposal and give meaningful advice. Government guidance also makes clear that the level of information should be proportionate to the development proposed. GOV.UK
WHAT CAN I ASK THE COUNCIL AT PRE-APPLICATION STAGE?
A good pre-application enquiry should normally have a purpose.
Rather than simply asking:
“Will you give this planning permission?”
it can be more useful to identify the specific planning questions that need answering.
For example:
Is residential development acceptable in principle?
Is the proposed number of homes appropriate?
Is the scale and form of development acceptable?
Does the proposed access raise concerns?
Are there particular planning policies that need to be addressed?
What technical information is likely to be required with an application?
The more clearly the proposal and key questions are presented, the more useful the response is likely to be.
DOES PRE-APPLICATION ADVICE GUARANTEE PLANNING PERMISSION?
No.
This is one of the most important things to understand about the pre-application process.
A positive pre-application response does not amount to planning permission and cannot guarantee that a subsequent application will be approved.
Government guidance expressly states that pre-application advice cannot pre-empt the formal decision-making process. It can, however, be a material consideration when a subsequent application is determined. GOV.UK
The eventual application may also differ from the proposal considered at pre-app stage, and other issues can emerge through consultation and detailed assessment.
Pre-application advice should therefore be treated as planning intelligence rather than planning consent.
WHAT HAPPENS IF THE COUNCIL SUPPORTS MY PROPOSAL?
A positive response can provide useful confidence before progressing further.
It may indicate that:
The principle of development appears acceptable
The proposed scale appears broadly appropriate
The design approach is moving in the right direction
Particular issues need resolving before submission
Further technical information is required
The next step is normally to review the advice carefully and determine what should change before the planning application is prepared.
A positive response should not simply be attached to an unchanged application and assumed to guarantee approval.
The objective is to use the advice to strengthen the eventual proposal.
WHAT HAPPENS IF THE COUNCIL DOESN'T SUPPORT MY PROPOSAL?
A negative pre-application response does not itself prevent you from submitting a planning application.
More importantly, it can provide useful information.
The question becomes:
Why does the council object?
There is a significant difference between an objection to the principle of development and concerns about the design of a particular proposal.
For example, the council might consider residential development acceptable but believe that:
Too many houses are proposed
The buildings are too large
Access needs reconsidering
The relationship with neighbours is poor
Additional technical evidence is needed
Those issues may potentially be addressed.
A fundamental policy objection may require a different planning strategy.
The value of the pre-app is therefore not necessarily whether the response is positive or negative, but what it tells you about the planning risk.
HOW MUCH DOES PRE-APPLICATION ADVICE COST?
There is no single national pre-application fee.
Local planning authorities can offer different services and charging structures, so the cost depends on the authority and type or scale of development.
A small residential proposal may fall within one fee category, while a major development may involve a substantially different service.
Before submitting an enquiry, check:
The council's current pre-application service
The relevant fee
What information is required
Whether a meeting is included
What form of written response will be provided
The council's stated response timescale
For larger developments, more extensive pre-application engagement may also be appropriate.
HOW LONG DOES PRE-APPLICATION ADVICE TAKE?
This varies between planning authorities and services.
Unlike simply submitting a planning application and working to the formal determination process, pre-application services can have their own published response targets and procedures.
If timing is important, it is worth checking the council's current service before deciding whether a pre-app should form part of the programme.
A pre-application exercise that provides genuinely useful information may save time later.
But where the likely response will add little to what is already known, adding another stage to the process can simply delay submission.
DO I NEED ARCHITECTURAL DRAWINGS FOR A PRE-APP?
Not necessarily detailed planning drawings.
Government guidance states that applicants would not necessarily be expected to provide everything required for a formal planning application; the information should instead be sufficient for the authority to take an informed view. GOV.UK
The appropriate level of design depends on the question being asked.
If the main issue is whether housing is acceptable on a piece of land, a relatively simple site plan and indicative development parameters may sometimes be sufficient.
If the key issue is whether a particular building fits appropriately into a sensitive context, more developed architectural information may be necessary.
The drawings should therefore be detailed enough to answer the planning question being asked — but not necessarily more detailed than that.
IS PRE-APPLICATION ADVICE PUBLIC?
This is worth checking with the particular local planning authority before submitting information.
Councils have their own arrangements for handling pre-application enquiries and information, and applicants should not simply assume that the process is confidential.
If confidentiality or commercial sensitivity is important, this should be considered before information is submitted.
SHOULD I GET PRE-APPLICATION ADVICE BEFORE BUYING LAND?
Potentially.
If you are considering purchasing land for development, understanding the planning position before committing can be extremely valuable.
However, pre-application advice is only one way of investigating a site.
Before approaching the council, it may be more useful to undertake an independent assessment of:
Planning policy
Planning history
Nearby development
Development capacity
Access
Technical constraints
That work can identify the specific planning questions that actually need to be put to the authority.
In some circumstances, a pre-app can then provide useful additional information before a land acquisition proceeds.
DO I ALWAYS NEED A PRE-APP BEFORE APPLYING FOR PLANNING PERMISSION?
No.
There is no general requirement to obtain pre-application advice before submitting an ordinary planning application.
Sometimes it is useful.
Sometimes it is unnecessary.
For example, if a proposal is relatively straightforward and the planning position is well understood, proceeding directly to a properly prepared planning application may be more efficient.
Conversely, where there is a significant question about the principle, scale or design of development, obtaining the council's initial view may be valuable before further expenditure is committed.
The decision should therefore form part of the planning strategy, rather than pre-app being an automatic stage in every project.
WHEN IS A PRE-APPLICATION PARTICULARLY USEFUL?
Pre-application advice can be particularly valuable where there is a specific uncertainty that the planning authority is well placed to help resolve.
For example:
An unusual development proposal
Uncertainty over development capacity
A sensitive site
A larger development
A site with a complex planning history
A proposal where the authority's design view could materially influence the scheme
A development where early technical engagement could prevent later problems
Government guidance similarly emphasises that pre-application engagement should be tailored to the nature of the proposal and the issues that need addressing.
WHAT SHOULD I DO BEFORE SUBMITTING A PRE-APP?
Don't necessarily make the council the first person to assess the development opportunity.
Before approaching the authority, it can be useful to establish:
1. What does planning policy say?
2. What has happened on the site previously?
3. Are there useful nearby planning decisions?
4. What development could realistically fit?
5. What are the principal constraints?
6. What planning risks can already be identified?
7. What questions genuinely need the council's input?
This makes the pre-application process much more focused.
Instead of asking the council to determine the entire development strategy, you are using its advice to answer specific questions that could influence the next stage.
SWAP VIEW
A pre-app is most useful when you know why you are making it.
We would not automatically recommend paying the council for pre-application advice on every development site.
First, we want to understand the planning position ourselves.
Then the question becomes:
What uncertainty remains that the council's view could help resolve?
If the answer could materially influence whether the project proceeds, the amount of development proposed or how the scheme is designed, a pre-app may be money well spent.
If the planning position is already reasonably clear, progressing directly towards an application may sometimes be the better use of the client's time and money.
The pre-app should therefore be a strategic tool, not a box that every project has to tick.
CONSIDERING A PLANNING PRE-APPLICATION?
If you have land or property and are unsure whether to approach the council before submitting a planning application, SWAP can help assess the site and determine whether a pre-app is likely to be worthwhile.
We can review the planning position, development potential and principal constraints, prepare an appropriate development strategy and identify the questions worth putting to the local planning authority.
Send us the site address or location, any plans you have, and a brief description of what you're considering.