Pre Application Advice
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Pre-application planning advice allows you to seek feedback from the local planning authority before submitting a planning application. It can help identify relevant planning policies, design concerns, site constraints and supporting information that may need to be addressed before a formal application is made.
Planning World can review your proposal, develop a planning strategy and prepare the drawings and supporting information required for a pre-application submission. Once the council responds, we can review its advice, explain the implications and recommend the next steps before a planning application is prepared.
When Pre-application planning advice is recommended
Pre-application planning advice can be particularly useful where:
- Your project is complex or high‑impact
- You are proposing a large extension or multi‑storey addition
- Your site is in a conservation area or near a listed building
- You are planning a new build home or flat conversion
- You are unsure whether the council will support your design
- You need clarity on policy interpretation
- You want to reduce the risk of a future planning refusal
- You are considering multiple design options
Pre-application planning advice is not necessary for every project, but for complex, sensitive or higher-risk proposals it can provide useful information before significant time and cost is committed to a formal planning application.
Pre-application planning advice
What can a pre-application submission include?
The scope depends on the proposal and the local authority’s pre-application requirements. Depending on the project, a submission may include:
- Site location information
- Existing and proposed drawings
- Site photographs and contextual information
- Description and summary of the proposal
- Planning policy review
- Design rationale
- Heritage considerations where relevant
- Identification of potential technical requirements
- Submission to the local planning authority
- Review of the authority’s response
- Recommendations for the subsequent planning strategy
Planning World can establish the appropriate scope and prepare a clear submission focused on the planning issues most relevant to the proposal.
Our process
A structured, strategic workflow:
- Initial review We assess your proposal, site constraints, and planning risks.
- Preparation of drawings and documents We prepare the materials required for a strong Pre‑App submission.
- Planning strategy We identify key policies, risks, and opportunities.
- Submission to the council We submit the Pre‑App and manage communication.
- Response analysis We interpret the council’s feedback and advise on next steps.
- Next-stage planning strategy — We explain how the council’s feedback should inform the design and any subsequent planning application.
Fees
Typical fees start from:
- £295–£495 for small residential projects
- £495–£895 for larger extensions or complex proposals
- £895+ for new builds or multi‑unit developments
- Any local planning authority pre-application fee is payable separately and varies according to the authority and type of proposal.
A fixed quote is provided after reviewing your drawings.
Local Planning Authority Requirements
Pre-application services, submission requirements, fees and response formats vary between local planning authorities. The scope of advice available can also depend on the type and scale of development.
Planning World reviews the relevant local planning policies and pre-application requirements before preparing the submission. For sensitive sites, this may include consideration of conservation areas, listed buildings, Article 4 directions, neighbour amenity, design, daylight and sunlight, biodiversity, flood risk or other project-specific matters.
The submission is therefore prepared around the particular site and proposal rather than using a standardised approach.
Common mistakes to avoid
Applicants often weaken their Pre‑App by:
- Submitting incomplete or unclear drawings
- Ignoring local policy requirements
- Providing insufficient design justification
- Failing to address heritage or conservation issues
- Misinterpreting the council’s feedback
- Treating Pre‑App as a formality rather than a strategic step
Planning World helps present the proposal clearly and ensures the submission addresses the relevant planning considerations identified at the pre-application stage.
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Why choose Planning World
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- Planning policy and site-constraint review
- Clear drawings and supporting information
- Project-specific pre-application strategy
- Coordination of relevant planning and technical considerations
- Submission and local authority correspondence
- Clear recommendations following the council’s response
Pre-application planning advice allows you to seek feedback from the local planning authority before submitting a formal planning application. Depending on the authority and proposal, the advice may identify relevant planning policies, design considerations, site constraints and supporting information that should be addressed before an application is submitted.
No. Pre-application advice is generally optional and is not required before submitting most planning applications. However, it can be particularly useful for complex, sensitive or higher-risk proposals where early feedback may help identify planning issues and inform the design and application strategy before a formal submission is made.
The requirements vary between local planning authorities and according to the type and scale of development. A submission may include a site location plan, existing and proposed drawings, photographs, a description of the proposal, design information and an initial planning policy assessment. Additional information may be appropriate where matters such as heritage, daylight and sunlight, flood risk or biodiversity are relevant.
There is no single statutory timescale that applies to all pre-application advice services. Response times vary between local planning authorities and can also depend on the scale and complexity of the proposal and the level of service requested. Planning World can check the relevant authority’s current pre-application procedure and indicative timescale when preparing the submission.
No. Positive pre-application advice does not guarantee that a subsequent planning application will be approved. Pre-application advice is given before the formal application process and circumstances can change when the full proposal, supporting evidence, consultation responses and other material planning considerations are assessed. However, the advice can help identify issues that should be addressed before the application is submitted.
Yes. Planning World can review the site and proposal, identify the relevant planning considerations, prepare the drawings and supporting information required for the pre-application submission and manage correspondence with the local planning authority. Once the council responds, we can review its advice, explain the implications and recommend the appropriate next steps for the proposal.