Planning · Building Regulations · Process
What Happens After Planning Permission in London
Planning permission is a green light on principle, not a green light to dig. This guide walks through the real next steps London homeowners face after approval.
Permission is not a start-on-site notice
A grant of planning permission answers one question: whether the change is acceptable in principle. It does not mean the design is buildable, priced or authorised under every other regime that applies to London homes. Most projects still need building regulations drawings, structural calculations, and — for flats — freeholder consent. Starting on the strength of a planning decision alone is how owners discover missing information when a contractor is already booked.
Read the decision notice carefully. It is not just “approved”. It lists conditions, time limits and any plans that are formally tied to the permission. Works must match those approved drawings; material changes can need a fresh application or a formal amendment.
Our fixed-fee packages
Design fees, inc. VAT — separate from the council fees above
| Package | Fixed fee |
|---|---|
| Planning Route ReviewA paid route check before drawings or applications. | £395 inc. VAT |
| Standard Planning Drawings PackageFor straightforward householder schemes. | from £1,450–£1,950 inc. VAT |
| Full Householder Planning PackageDrawings plus application preparation and submission. | from £2,250–£3,250 inc. VAT |
| Licence to Alter / Flat Refurbishment Drawing PackLeasehold flat alterations and freeholder consent drawings. | from £1,500–£2,750 inc. VAT |
| Building Regulations / Technical Drawing PackageTechnical drawings once the planning route is clear. | from £2,750–£4,950 inc. VAT |
| Listed / Conservation Planning PackHeritage-led drawings and consent strategy. | Quoted after review |
Fixed fees quoted before you commit, credited from the £395 route review if you proceed. Larger, listed or complex projects are quoted after a paid review rather than sold at a fixed price. See all packages or find your package.
Discharge conditions before you commit to build
Many permissions carry pre-commencement conditions — materials samples, construction method statements, tree protection, or further details that must be approved before work starts. Each condition is a small application in its own right, with a fee and a determination period. Ignoring them can put the whole permission at risk if work starts early.
Our guide to planning conditions explains the types you are most likely to see. The practical habit is to list every condition on day one of the technical stage and programme the ones that block site start, rather than discovering them when the builder arrives.
Building regulations: the technical package
Planning drawings deliberately stop short of construction detail. After approval (or sometimes in parallel if the design is settled), you need a technical package that building control can assess: structure, fire safety, insulation, ventilation, drainage and weatherproofing. That is the role of building regulations drawings, usually with a structural engineer’s calculations for openings, beams and foundations.
This package is also what lets contractors price like-for-like. Pricing from planning drawings alone forces builders to guess — and guesswork is priced as risk. See planning drawings vs building regulations drawings for the boundary between the two stages.
Freeholder consent and party walls
Leasehold flats almost always need a Licence to Alter under the lease, even when planning is already granted. Freeholder surveyors often want technical information closer to building-control detail than to planning elevations. Sequence the licence so it does not become the late blocker after a builder is appointed.
Where works sit on or near a boundary, the Party Wall etc. Act may require notices and, if needed, an award. Party wall is separate from planning and from building control. Notices have statutory notice periods, so they belong in the programme early, not as an afterthought the week before dig.
Tender, contractor selection and site start
Once the technical information is consistent, two or three contractors can price the same drawings and specification. That is how you compare real offers rather than four different interpretations of a planning sketch. A fuller tender package adds schedules and specification depth where the project needs pricing certainty.
Before site start, confirm: planning conditions discharged where required, building control application made, freeholder licence signed if relevant, party wall process underway or complete, and insurance and access arrangements for a London street that may not tolerate improvisation.
Time limits and what not to change lightly
Householder permissions usually have a standard commencement time limit (commonly three years from the decision date — check your notice). Starting means lawful commencement under the permission, not merely ordering materials. If you need to change the approved design, get advice before building something different: small shifts can be non-material amendments; larger ones may need a new application.
If you are planning the whole sequence from approval to occupation, our how long a London extension takes guide sets realistic stages without promising a fixed calendar that no site can keep.
Frequently asked questions
Can I start building as soon as planning is granted?
Do I need new drawings after planning permission?
What are planning conditions?
Does freeholder consent wait until after planning?
How long after approval before I can start on site?
What if I want to change the approved design?
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