How long does planning permission take in London?

Eight weeks is not the whole project programme

For many non-major planning applications in England, the statutory determination period is eight weeks. Different categories have different periods, and an extended period may be agreed. Government guidance explains these distinctions. The decision period follows a valid application; it does not include every design meeting, survey or missing document before validation, and it is not a guarantee of approval by a particular day.

For a useful programme, separate the work into stages with clear dependencies. This helps you see what the architect can progress, what requires your decision and what depends on the council or another party.

Stage one: prepare a complete brief

Agree the rooms, priorities, overall budget and intended scope. A decision to add another storey halfway through design is not a minor revision to the programme. Identify uncertainties such as drainage, previous extensions or heritage constraints before assuming the design can move straight to submission.

Provide access for the survey and collect existing planning documents. If several owners need to approve the design, decide how their comments will be combined. One coordinated response is easier to programme than overlapping instructions.

Stage two: design and validation

Allow time to compare options and develop the chosen proposal. Specialist reports may have their own lead times. When the application is submitted, the council checks whether it has the information needed to validate it. Missing or inconsistent material can hold up this stage.

Ask your designer to distinguish the submission date from the validation date in progress updates. Keep a record of any request for additional information and the date of the response.

Stage three: assessment and decision

During assessment, track the application reference, consultation and any officer requests. If a change is suggested, understand its effect on the design and programme before agreeing it. Where an extension of time is proposed, ask what outstanding issue the extra time is intended to resolve.

Do not book a fixed construction start solely around an expected planning date. A refusal, an unresolved condition or a necessary design change can alter what happens next.

Stage four: get ready to build

Planning permission may still leave technical design, Building Control, drainage agreements, Party Wall matters, tendering and pre-start conditions to resolve. Put these on the programme separately. Some design work can overlap, but starting it before the planning outcome involves a commercial decision about possible rework.

Questions for a realistic schedule

• What information is needed before design starts?
• When must we approve the preferred layout?
• Which reports need commissioning and who appoints the specialists?
• What is the council's current validation and assessment position?
• Which decisions must be complete before a contractor starts?

We can agree a design programme and explain the dependencies for your project. Fast responses and a clear decision process help maintain momentum; they cannot remove the council's independent assessment or guarantee its outcome.