Lawful development certificates
Written confirmation from the council that your project does not need planning permission, with the drawings to support it.
Proof that what you are building is lawful.
We prepare the drawings and the application for a lawful development certificate, for work you are planning or work that is already done.
If your project falls under permitted development, you do not have to tell the council. But without anything in writing, you are relying on your own reading of the rules.
A lawful development certificate settles it. It is the council confirming that the work is lawful, which is what a buyer and their solicitor will want to see when you sell.
What you get
- A check that the project qualifies
- Existing and proposed drawings
- Site location and block plans
- The application, prepared and submitted
- A fixed quote before we start
We aim to reply within one working day.
When a certificate is worth having.
Before you build
Certainty that an extension, loft conversion or outbuilding is permitted development before you pay a builder.
Before you sell
Paperwork for work that was done without an application.
Existing use
Confirmation that a use or building has become lawful through the passage of time.
Loft conversions
A common request from solicitors when a house with a converted loft is sold.
Outbuildings and garden rooms
Confirmation that size, height and position are within the limits.
Disputes
A clear answer if a neighbour or the council questions the work.
An application that answers the question.
The council decides a certificate on the facts and the rules, not on opinion. The drawings need to show plainly that the project complies.
- Dimensions shown against the limits
- Accurate existing and proposed drawings
- Supporting evidence for existing development
- Submitted through the Planning Portal
Three steps to a certificate application.
Talk it through
Tell us about the property and what you want to do. We visit or work from what you send us.
We draw it up
We prepare the drawings and send you drafts to check and change.
Submission
We finalise the package and submit it, or hand it to you ready to go.
Is a lawful development certificate compulsory?
No. It is optional, but it is the only formal confirmation that planning permission is not needed.
How long does it take?
Councils aim to decide these applications within about eight weeks.
Is it the same as planning permission?
No. Planning permission is the council deciding whether to allow something. A certificate confirms that permission is not needed in the first place.
Can I get one for work already done?
Yes. You can apply for existing development as well as proposed work.
You might also need.
Let's talk it through.
Tell us about the property and what you want to do. We’ll come back with a fixed quote and the best route to approval.