Zara Moon, Director, RIBA Chartered Architect, and Planning Consultant at Zara Moon Architects explains the importance of engaging with a pre-application prior to your planning application.
In the evolving world of planning and development, navigating the regulatory landscape can often feel complex and daunting. Whether you’re a homeowner looking to extend your property, a developer exploring a new site, or a business owner expanding operations, engaging with your local planning authority (LPA) at an early stage can significantly increase your chances of a smooth and successful application.
One of the most valuable tools available to applicants is the pre-application process. Pre-Applications are a service offered by planning departments where you can discuss your proposed development prior to submitting your planning application, and always forms part of our planning strategy.
What is a Pre-Application?
A pre-application is an informal process that allows applicants to seek advice from the local planning authority before submitting a full planning application. It offers an opportunity to present your development proposals, receive early feedback, and address any concerns raised by the planning officer.
Depending on the LPA, pre-application services may vary in form, from simple written advice to more in-depth meetings and site visits. While there is usually a fee involved, the potential benefits far outweigh the costs. At ZMA we always request a meeting, when we discuss the scheme face-to-face, ideally on-site so the scheme can be discussed in the context of the site.
5 Key Benefits of Completing a Pre-Application are:
1. A dummy-run of the main application
Typically our pre-applications include a full design proposal, our design and access statement details every aspect of the design including how we have addressed the site constraints, and policy-related issues.
By submitting a full scheme allows the officer to provide detailed feedback on the design and if any specific revisions are needed to receive support.
2. Entering dialogue with the planning officer
The pre-application service involves a meeting with the officer, whereas when you enter the main application decision period, you do not get the same time or meeting opportunity to discuss the scheme. This allows any issues to be identified, and addressed prior to submitting the main application.
3. Greater chance of success
Although a pre-application service has an upfront cost and increases the timescales of your overall planning process, it increases your chances of success 10-fold.
If you chose to cut-out the pre-application process, and proceed straight to the main application, the main application will be the first time the officer will have seen the scheme. If the officer has concerns or issues which need addressing, they don’t have to allow you the opportunity to address within the application period.
This can lead to refusals, withdrawals, appeals and resubmissions increasing your overall costs and timescales.
4. Better Engagement and Communication
The pre-application process fosters early dialogue between the applicant and planning authority. This creates a more collaborative environment where concerns can be openly discussed, and solutions explored.
5. Understanding the risk
When proposals are located on sensitive sites, or do not meet planning policy, it is important to understand the viability of a project, and the likelihood of achieving approval. Entering dialogue through a pre-application can be the only way of fully understanding if planning could be achieved and how the LPA would receive the proposal.
In today’s every-changing planning environment, the pre-application process is more important than ever. It is not merely a box-ticking exercise, but a strategic step in the planning journey—one that can save time, money, and frustration.
Zara Moon, Director, RIBA Chartered Architect, and Planning Consultant at Zara Moon Architects explains the importance of engaging with a pre-application prior to your planning application.
In the evolving world of planning and development, navigating the regulatory landscape can often feel complex and daunting. Whether you’re a homeowner looking to extend your property, a developer exploring a new site, or a business owner expanding operations, engaging with your local planning authority (LPA) at an early stage can significantly increase your chances of a smooth and successful application.
One of the most valuable tools available to applicants is the pre-application process. Pre-Applications are a service offered by planning departments where you can discuss your proposed development prior to submitting your planning application, and always forms part of our planning strategy.
What is a Pre-Application?
A pre-application is an informal process that allows applicants to seek advice from the local planning authority before submitting a full planning application. It offers an opportunity to present your development proposals, receive early feedback, and address any concerns raised by the planning officer.
Depending on the LPA, pre-application services may vary in form, from simple written advice to more in-depth meetings and site visits. While there is usually a fee involved, the potential benefits far outweigh the costs. At ZMA we always request a meeting, when we discuss the scheme face-to-face, ideally on-site so the scheme can be discussed in the context of the site.
5 Key Benefits of Completing a Pre-Application are:
1. A dummy-run of the main application
Typically our pre-applications include a full design proposal, our design and access statement details every aspect of the design including how we have addressed the site constraints, and policy-related issues.
By submitting a full scheme allows the officer to provide detailed feedback on the design and if any specific revisions are needed to receive support.
2. Entering dialogue with the planning officer
The pre-application service involves a meeting with the officer, whereas when you enter the main application decision period, you do not get the same time or meeting opportunity to discuss the scheme. This allows any issues to be identified, and addressed prior to submitting the main application.
3. Greater chance of success
Although a pre-application service has an upfront cost and increases the timescales of your overall planning process, it increases your chances of success 10-fold.
If you chose to cut-out the pre-application process, and proceed straight to the main application, the main application will be the first time the officer will have seen the scheme. If the officer has concerns or issues which need addressing, they don’t have to allow you the opportunity to address within the application period.
This can lead to refusals, withdrawals, appeals and resubmissions increasing your overall costs and timescales.
4. Better Engagement and Communication
The pre-application process fosters early dialogue between the applicant and planning authority. This creates a more collaborative environment where concerns can be openly discussed, and solutions explored.
5. Understanding the risk
When proposals are located on sensitive sites, or do not meet planning policy, it is important to understand the viability of a project, and the likelihood of achieving approval. Entering dialogue through a pre-application can be the only way of fully understanding if planning could be achieved and how the LPA would receive the proposal.
In today’s every-changing planning environment, the pre-application process is more important than ever. It is not merely a box-ticking exercise, but a strategic step in the planning journey—one that can save time, money, and frustration.
