Pre-planning application meeting service
The Mayor’s planning team offers a pre-planning application service for developers to help speed up the planning process.
We have been providing high quality pre-planning application advice to London’s developers since 2007. This service allows developers to meet with our planning officers before putting in a formal planning application.
What services are available?
Level 1 - 'in-principle'
These meetings provide a senior GLA Planning Manager view of the key strategic planning issues and principles a referable planning application should address. These meetings should not be seen as an alternative to (Stage 2) pre-application advice meetings, where detailed GLA and TfL officer advice on the full range of matters is offered.
Level 2 - 'Initial' and 'follow-up'
These provide detailed advice in writing based on plans submitted with a letter and other supporting information, providing confirmation as to whether the development complies with the relevant planning policy, and what alterations may be required to achieve compliance. The fee for this service will be £10,000 + VAT (£12,000 inc. VAT) for an initial meeting and £4,116.67 + VAT (£5,000 inc. VAT) for any subsequent follow-up meetings. Please note the fees are changing from 1 January 2022. More details on the changes can be found below.
More information on these services can be found in our guidance note.
How does it speed up the process?
Pre-planning consultation allows applicants to get a view from our planning officers on the suitability of their intended development.
This enhanced service helps developers ensure their proposed developments will comply with the London Plan early in the planning process - speeding up the process for both applicants and the local planning authority.
How long does it take to get a meeting?
We aim to get a meeting slot to you as soon as we can but this can be dependent on case officer availability. You should submit your request as early as possible to ensure you get a meeting that works with your timescales.
What information should be submitted?
As a minimum the following documents should be submitted for the request to be validated:
Level 1 - In-principle meetings
- Payment
- Site plan (red line site boundary)
- Indication of proposed uses NB this does not need to be extensive
Level 2 - Initial and follow-up meetings
- Payment
- Red line site boundary
- Outline of proposed development
- Outline of key planning issues
- Indicative scheme concept/images
For any follow-up meetings you will only need to submit a payment form as the minimum requirement. However, you would also need to add any updated or new documentation if applicable.
Any other information should be submitted no later than a week before the meeting date. However, it is preferable if information is submitted earlier, so that officers have time to review it.
The documents should be uploaded via our online system. Please note the subsequent advice letter will only address issues that you have sent documentation on.
Further guidance on energy assessments and access statements can be found on the links below.
London Review Panel
The London Review Panel provides independent expert advice to support the Mayor and GLA Group to achieve high standards of design and to secure the wider benefits of place making. At the heart of design review is a discussion of a given project by expert panellists acting as critical friends. The Panel will review planning cases where alternative design review processes aren’t in place at borough level, where sites fall across borough boundaries, or where sites are of exceptional social or cultural significance to Londoners. The cost of an initial London Review Panel is £6,000 (excluding VAT). For more information please visit the London Review Panel page. A design review will be triggered at the discretion of the GLA Planning Officer at a suitable time in the Pre-application stage and informed by whether;
• there is no local design review panel, or it does not have enough capacity
• the planning case spans two or more boroughs
• the planning case is on an internationally significant site with exceptional cultural, social, or economic value (e.g., proximity to the Thames, heritage sites or world class facilities and venues). An example being 20 Bury Street (The Tulip).
• the planning case includes a residential component that exceeds 350 units per hectare (London Plan Policy D4 D)
• the planning case proposes a building defined as a tall building by the borough (see Policy D9 Tall Buildings), or that is more than 30m in height where there is no local definition of a tall building (London plan policy D4 D).
How much does it cost?
How do you pay for the meeting?
From 1 April 2021, we are operating an online payment tool, allowing you to pay for your meetings via our system. We will require payment to be made before a request is validated. This replaces the previous process that required you to complete a payment form.
When you have paid, you will receive an acknowledgement of payment on email instantly. Our Finance team will also use the details you provide to a VAT paid invoice. Please see the Terms and Conditions in our guidance note as you will not be able to change these details once you have submitted your request.
The forms for submitting a request will guide you through the process and the information you need to provide.
More information on the online payments can be found in the guidance note.
How do you request a meeting?
From 3rd July 2020, the Planning Application Workflow System (PAWS) is no longer available. Pre-application meeting requests should now be done through our new workflow system, Arcus. This system has been designed and implemented to not only make the process easier for you but to also ensure that we are more responsive and can process your applications more quickly. To access Arcus, please click on the link below.
You can submit a Pre-application meeting here
You will need to register an account if you haven't done so already.
Referable cases
We will only provide this service for strategic applications that are referable to the Mayor. More details on what makes an application strategic can be found on the following link: Mayor of London Order (2008)
Contact us
If you have any queries relating to the pre-planning advice service, please contact the pre-application team by email on [email protected] or request a call-back
Download Pre-app guidance note July 2022
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