To Pre-app or not to Pre-app…?

Is a Pre-application Enquiry Worth-it?

The National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) stresses the importance of early engagement with the Local Planning Authority (LPAs) and ‘front loading’.

In truth the question as to whether it is ‘worth-it’ depends on how contentious a proposal has the potential to be. It is also dependant on as to whether some negotiation needs to take place. A Planning Consultant should be able to identify most issues that ‘could’ arise beforehand. A Pre-application enquiry should therefore provide some clarity and how much resistance on certain issues there will be.

My experience of working in Local Planning Authority are that pre-application responses are caveated and somewhat non-committal, certainly in respect of positive wording (use ‘could’ and not ‘would’ ‘will be’). Ultimately, although most pre-application responses are caveated, they do create a benchmark and can provide some clarity. Importantly, if a proposal is not acceptable in principle, the LPA will identity this, and with that certainty abortive costs for a full planning application and its consultants can be avoided.

The current trend is that a scheme is more likely to be looked upon favourably, or a LPA is more likely to engage with the applicant in respect of design changes and further information, if a pre-application enquiry has taken place.