Pre-application advice service
If you need planning permission, we offer a valuable pre-application advice service where you can discuss your plans and share any drawings you have, and we can advise on any changes you should consider in order to have the best chance of a successful application. For householders, we offer written advice free of charge.
The National Planning Policy Framework encourages pre-application discussions because they improve the speed and success of the planning system.
At Newham Council, some of the planning applications we receive raise complex issues. We want to help home improvers and developers through the planning process to deliver high-quality schemes, and our pre-application service supports this aim.
The benefits of using our pre-application advice service:
- Clarity on planning policy and specific considerations for your site and project
- Your development proposals are assessed by officers, senior managers and technical offers at an early stage
- The opportunity to steer projects to ensure they are attractive to the community and acceptable to the planning authority
- Reduced risk of unsuccessful applications and additional planning work – and the costs associated with it
- Better awareness of possible planning conditions, S106 agreements and the community infrastructure levy
- Clarity on the documents you need to send with your application in order for it to be valid
- Quicker planning decisions once you make your application.
For small scale householder development, we offer written advice free of charge. For other proposals, there is a charge for the service, so that we can allocate specialist planning advisors to help you through this early stage in the process.
To apply for pre application advice, please see the guidance and fees document (PDF).
Project planning performance agreements for major applications
For major planning applications we also like to agree a project planning performance agreement with you. The agreement sets a timetable for a development proposal, from the earliest stage to the planning decision. This process facilitates a series of pre application meetings with the Planning and Development team, meetings with important external stakeholders such as TFL and guidance from Newham’s Design Review Panel.
Pre-application advice from other key stakeholders
The available pre-application services of other key stakeholders in the planning process are summarised here (though please note this list is not exhaustive):
