Costs & Timelines

Anxiously waiting for your planning decision? The official target for most small home projects is eight weeks from the day your application is validated. However, this statutory timeframe is a target, not a guarantee. Understanding the full timeline, including common causes for delay, the role of the planning committee, and what an "Extension of Time" request means, is key to managing your project's schedule and your own expectations.

Your council's Local Plan is only half the story. The key to getting your extension or new build approved often lies in "secret" policies buried in Supplementary Planning Documents (SPDs), specific design codes, and past planning committee decisions. This guide teaches you how to uncover these unwritten rules, understand what your planning officer really wants, and build a case for your project that is too robust to refuse.

Before you spend thousands on a formal planning application, there's a crucial step most people misuse: pre-application advice. It's not just a query service; it's your first and best chance to negotiate. This strategic guide explains how to prepare for your meeting with the planning officer, what to ask, how to document it, and how to use the council's formal response to build an almost unassailable case for your project's approval.