Prior Approval Application Specialists for England
Many property owners assume they need full planning permission when a permitted development or Prior Approval route may be available instead. Finding and managing those routes is the only thing we do.
What we specialise in
We work exclusively on permitted development and Prior Approval routes. Most of our work is for small developers, investors and landlords — commercial-to-residential conversions and change of use — though we take householder schemes too. That focus is the point: these applications turn on technical detail, and detail is where they are won or lost.
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Class MA
Class MA Commercial to Residential
Converting Class E commercial premises such as shops and offices into homes, where the permitted development right applies.
Class MA change of use- Two-year qualifying use condition assessed first
- Prior approval matters identified up front
- Designation and exclusion checks
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Commercial PD
Commercial Permitted Development
Change of use and permitted development routes for offices, retail and other commercial premises, including pre-purchase due diligence.
Commercial PD- Change of use assessments
- Office and retail PD routes
- Pre-purchase permitted development due diligence
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LDC
Lawful Development Certificates
Formal confirmation that existing works, or a proposed development, are lawful. Frequently needed for a sale, a remortgage or peace of mind.
Lawful development certificates- Certificates for existing development
- Certificates for proposed development
- Evidence gathering and drafting
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Larger home ext.
Larger Home Extension Prior Approval
Single-storey rear extensions that go beyond standard permitted development limits, submitted through the neighbour consultation scheme.
Larger home extensions- Up to 8 m for detached houses, subject to conditions
- Up to 6 m for semi-detached and terraced, subject to conditions
- Neighbour consultation managed for you
We also handle: HMO licence application assistance, certificates of lawfulness, and full planning applications where a permitted development or Prior Approval route is not appropriate. These sit alongside our core work rather than replacing it — if a full application is genuinely the better route for your property, we will say so.
Why the Prior Approval route is worth checking
With a full planning application, the council decides whether your development should happen at all. With Prior Approval, the right already exists in national legislation and the council assesses a defined list of specific matters instead.
That changes the character of the process. There is a statutory determination period, the assessment criteria are set out in advance, and there is far less room for subjective design judgement.
The trade-off is that these applications are technical. They either meet the conditions in the legislation or they do not, and the most common reason for failure is a detail that was not checked before submission.
That detail check is what you are buying.
How it works
Five stages from first enquiry to decision. You know the fee before anything starts.
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Stage 1
Free eligibility check
Send us the address and what you are proposing. We give you an initial view on whether there is a route worth pursuing.
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Stage 2
Specialist review
We look properly at the property, the relevant route and the conditions that apply to it, and set out the realistic options.
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Stage 3
Choose your package
Basic, Standard or Premium, quoted in writing before we start. Complex schemes are quoted bespoke.
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Stage 4
We prepare and submit
We prepare the application and supporting statements and manage the submission to your local planning authority.
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Stage 5
Determination and follow-up
We handle the council's queries through the determination period and advise you on what the decision means.
- 42 or 56 daysstatutory period from council validation to decision, by route
Transparent fixed fees
No hourly rates and no open-ended costs. You choose the level of support you need.
Know where you stand before you commit.
- Initial eligibility assessment
- Review of your proposed development
- Written planning advice
- Recommended route and next steps
The application handled end to end.
- Everything needed for the agreed standard submission
- Application preparation
- Submission management
- Council liaison
- Reasonable clarification responses
Strategic support for more complex cases.
- Strategic planning assessment
- Full case management
- Coordination of more complex evidence and support
- Council liaison
- Post-decision guidance
Council application fees and third-party reports or drawings are separate unless expressly included. Fees are paid directly to your local planning authority and to the relevant consultants.
These packages are designed around the routes we specialise in. Complex commercial schemes, sites with multiple units, or applications requiring extensive technical evidence are quoted bespoke — we will tell you before you commit if your project falls outside the standard packages.
Frequently asked questions
Straight answers to what people actually ask us.
What is Prior Approval and how is it different from planning permission?
Prior Approval is a route that sits within permitted development rights. The right to carry out the development already exists in national legislation, so the council is not deciding whether the development should happen in principle. It assesses a defined list of specific matters instead, which varies by route.
That usually means a shorter, more predictable process than a full planning application. It also means the application is technical: it either meets the conditions in the legislation or it does not.
Do I still need an architect?
Often yes, and we are not one. We are planning specialists. Most applications need scaled drawings, and for some routes you will also need specialist reports such as noise, contamination or flood risk assessments.
We tell you at the eligibility stage what your application is likely to require so you can budget properly. Third-party drawings and reports are separate from our fees unless we have expressly said otherwise.
Which parts of the country do you cover?
We work across England. The permitted development regime we specialise in is set out in the General Permitted Development Order, which applies in England. Different regimes apply elsewhere in the UK, and we do not advise on those.
We are a fully remote practice, so where you are in England makes no difference to the service or the fee.
How long does a Prior Approval application take?
It depends on the route. Larger home extensions have a 42-day determination period, and Class MA commercial-to-residential has 56 days. Those clocks start when the council validates the application, not when you send it.
If a council does not determine within the statutory period, there is a right of appeal for non-determination. That is not the same as automatically receiving consent, and we would not advise proceeding on that assumption.
What happens if my application is refused?
A refusal sets out the council's reasons. In many cases those reasons are specific and fixable, and a revised submission addressing them is the sensible next step. In others the honest answer is that the route does not work for that property and a full planning application is the better option.
We will tell you which of those two situations you are in. Our Premium package includes post-decision guidance and advice on resubmission.
Can you tell me whether my project qualifies before I pay anything?
We can give you an initial view for free. Send us the address and a description of what you are proposing through the eligibility check and we will come back to you on whether there is a route worth pursuing.
What we cannot do for free is confirm eligibility definitively. That requires checking the property's planning history, any designations affecting the site, and whether permitted development rights have been removed. That is what the Basic assessment covers.
Not sure which route applies to your property?
Send us the address and what you are proposing. We will tell you whether there is a Prior Approval or permitted development route worth pursuing, before you commit to anything.
info@planningservicesonline.co.uk
Fully remote. Serving property owners across England.