Guidance
Know what your project needs before you spend anything.
Professional advice before you know what you need rarely makes sense for small projects. The guidance is here to bridge that gap.
The free planning check
Enter your postcode and answer a short set of questions about your property and proposed works. The tool checks your answers against national permitted development rules and returns one of five results: No planning required, Planning required, Prior Approval required, Maybe (local check needed), or Outside scope.
What it covers
The free planning check applies to all residential properties in England. Paid guidance reports are coming soon, starting with a set of London boroughs.
In scope
- Residential schemes up to 9 units
- Single storey rear extensions
- Double storey rear extensions
- Side extensions
- Front extensions and porches
- Loft conversions
- Outbuildings and garden offices
- Internal works
- Renewable energy installations
- Basements Coming soon
Outside scope
- Schemes of 10 or more units
- GLA referable development
- Grade I and II* listed buildings
- Commercial or mixed use development
- Listed building consent applications
Where a project falls outside scope, the tool says so clearly and points to the right professional or resource.
What it is based on
The General Permitted Development Order 2015 (GPDO) and its amendments. The Town and Country Planning Act 1990. The National Planning Policy Framework. For London postcodes, the tool identifies your borough and flags where borough-level constraints (such as conservation areas and Article 4 directions) may affect the result — always confirm these with your borough. Building Regulations Approved Documents are referenced where relevant to the result.
The tool also checks against:
- -Conservation area designations by postcode
- -Article 4 directions by borough
- -Listed building register via Historic England
- -Flood zone classification via the Environment Agency
- -Borough-specific policies and thresholds
Paid guidance reports
After your result
If your result shows that planning permission, prior approval, or building regulations apply, you can order a guidance report for that specific route. There are four reports, each covering a different outcome. Your result tells you which one applies. The report tells you what to do next.
Coming soon
Full Planning Permission
£35
Your project requires a householder planning application.
Coming soon
Prior Approval
£17
Your project qualifies for the Larger Home Extension scheme.
Coming soon
Building Regulations
£17
No planning needed, but building regulations approval is required.
Coming soon
Edge Case Assessment
£17
Your result is a Maybe. A local factor needs confirming.
Common questions
How long does it take?
Instantly. The guidance document generates automatically after payment and is available to download straight away.
Which boroughs are covered?
The free check works for any residential property in England. Borough-specific paid guidance reports are launching in a second phase. First boroughs at launch: Enfield, Hackney, Southwark, Ealing, and Wandsworth. Others will follow.
What format?
The free planning check shows your result on screen with a plain English explanation. Paid guidance reports are delivered as PDF, ready to save, print, or share with your architect or contractor.