Before submitting a formal planning application, applicants in England have the option to seek informal advice from the local planning authority (LPA). This is known as a pre-application enquiry — or simply a "pre-app." Getting the process right can significantly improve the chances of a smooth planning application and avoid costly redesigns later.
This article explains what a pre-application enquiry is, when to use one, how much it costs, and how to write a pre-app letter that gets a useful response.
A pre-application enquiry is a formal written request to an LPA asking for its informal view on a proposed development before a planning application is submitted. The council's planning officers review the scheme and provide written advice — typically within four to eight weeks — covering the key planning issues, any likely objections, and what supporting documents will be required.
Pre-application advice is not binding on the LPA. The council cannot commit to granting planning permission at the pre-app stage. However, a positive pre-application response is a material consideration in the determination of a subsequent formal application, and it can carry weight at appeal if permission is later refused.
Planning Practice Guidance states that pre-application engagement "offers significant potential to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of the planning application process" and that "the more complex the development proposed, the more important pre-application discussions are."
Pre-application advice is most valuable for the following types of proposal:
For most householder applications — a single-storey rear extension, a loft conversion, a garage conversion — a pre-app enquiry is rarely necessary. An LPA officer is unlikely to provide substantive advice on a proposal that falls within the guidance in the council's residential extensions SPD, and the cost of the pre-app fee may not be justified.
Most LPAs in England charge a fee for pre-application advice. The fee scale varies considerably between councils and depends on the scale and type of development. As a rough guide:
| Development type | Typical pre-app fee range |
|---|---|
| Householder (extension, outbuilding) | Free – £250 |
| 1–9 dwellings / minor commercial | £300 – £1,500 |
| 10–49 dwellings / medium commercial | £1,500 – £5,000 |
| 50+ dwellings / major commercial | £5,000 – £20,000+ |
| Listed building or conservation area | £250 – £1,000 (varies) |
Always check the pre-application advice page on the relevant LPA's website for the current fee schedule before submitting. Some councils offer a free written response for minor enquiries; others require a meeting as part of the pre-app service.
A well-structured pre-application letter gives the planning officer everything they need to provide focused, useful advice. A typical pre-app letter should include the following sections:
Your name, firm (if applicable), contact details, the LPA's address, the date, and a clear subject line identifying the site address and the nature of the proposed development.
Briefly state who you are, the purpose of the letter, and what you are seeking from the LPA. Make clear that this is a pre-application enquiry and that a formal application has not yet been submitted.
Describe the site — its location, current use, any relevant designations (conservation area, flood zone, listed building curtilage), and any relevant site constraints. Reference the site location plan if attached.
Set out the proposed development in clear, specific terms — the use class, scale, number of units or floorspace, key design features, and any indicative drawings attached. Avoid vague descriptions: the more precise the proposal, the more useful the officer's response will be.
Summarise the relevant planning policy framework — the NPPF, the local plan, and the London Plan if the site is in a London borough. Demonstrate that you have considered the policy context and explain why you consider the principle of development to be supportable.
Identify the planning issues on which you are seeking the LPA's view. Be specific — don't ask "do you think this will get planning permission?" but instead frame the question around a specific issue: "Is the LPA satisfied that the loss of the existing B2 employment use is acceptable in principle given the evidence set out in the submitted Employment Land Assessment?"
Summarise any relevant planning history for the site — previous applications, appeals, pre-application advice, or lawful development certificate applications.
End with a numbered list of the specific questions you want the officer to address. This makes it easier for the officer to structure their response and reduces the risk of receiving a generic reply.
Tip: Always attach a site location plan (Ordnance Survey extract at 1:1250 or 1:2500 with the site edged red) and any indicative drawings. Officers are much better placed to give useful advice when they can see the proposal, not just read about it.
The LPA will typically acknowledge receipt within a few working days and confirm the target response date. For minor enquiries this may be two to four weeks; for major development it is usually six to eight weeks.
The officer's written response will set out the council's informal view on the key planning issues. It may recommend changes to the scheme, identify additional supporting documents required, or flag consultees who should be engaged early (such as the highways authority, the Environment Agency, or Historic England). Some LPAs offer a follow-up meeting as part of the pre-app service.
Once you have the officer's response, you can refine the scheme and supporting documents before submitting the formal application. The pre-application response should be referenced in the planning supporting statement submitted with the formal application, confirming whether the issues raised have been addressed.
These are two distinct documents at different stages of the planning process:
| Document | Stage | Purpose | Binding? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pre-application enquiry letter | Before formal application | Seek informal LPA advice; identify issues; refine scheme | No |
| Planning supporting statement | Submitted with application | Demonstrate policy compliance; make the case for approval | Forms part of the application |
A positive pre-application response is often referenced in the planning supporting statement submitted with the formal application, confirming that the LPA raised no objection in principle at the pre-app stage.
For major and complex proposals, pre-application advice almost always represents good value. The cost of a pre-app fee is typically a small fraction of the professional fees and construction costs at stake, and early engagement with the LPA reduces the risk of a refusal, an appeal, or a costly redesign after submission.
For more straightforward applications, the value depends on the specific circumstances. If the proposal falls clearly within the relevant SPD guidance and there are no sensitive policy issues, a pre-app may add delay and cost without materially improving the outcome.
Planabl drafts a structured, policy-referenced pre-application enquiry letter from your project details — ready to review, edit, and submit.
Try Planabl free →Pre-application advice does not formally expire, but its relevance diminishes over time. If there is a significant gap between the pre-app response and the formal application — typically more than 12 months — policy may have changed and officers may have moved. It is good practice to confirm with the LPA that the advice remains current before relying on it in a formal application.
No. Pre-application advice is informal and cannot be appealed. If officers indicate that they are unlikely to support a proposal at the pre-app stage, you can either modify the scheme to address their concerns or proceed with the formal application and use the appeal process if permission is refused. The Planning Inspectorate regularly allows appeals where applicants have disagreed with pre-app advice and submitted a well-evidenced application.
No. A pre-application enquiry is an informal, non-binding request for advice. It does not start the formal planning application process, does not result in a planning decision, and does not trigger statutory consultation or neighbour notification. A formal planning application is a separate, subsequent step.
The applicant pays the LPA's pre-application advice fee. This is a separate charge from the statutory planning application fee, which is paid on submission of the formal application. Some LPAs offer a free householder pre-app service; others charge for all pre-app advice regardless of scale.
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