Pre-Application Advice

Reduce Risk Before You Submit

Pre-application discussions with local planning authorities provide an opportunity to test a scheme against planning policy before committing to full application costs. Most London boroughs offer formal pre-application services — from duty officer discussions for minor works through to formal pre-application meetings with case officers and design review panels for major schemes. DMC Planning prepares the supporting material, manages the dialogue, and translates the officer's feedback into actionable design and policy guidance.

The value of pre-application advice is greatest on schemes where policy compliance is uncertain, where the scheme is in a sensitive location such as a conservation area or heritage setting, or where the applicant wants to maximise the development quantum before committing to construction costs. We also use pre-application discussions to identify s106 obligations early, manage neighbouring authority consultations, and reduce the risk of pre-commencement conditions.

What We Do

• Duty Officer Consultations

  We arrange and prepare for informal duty officer discussions for minor and householder schemes, using these low-cost conversations to test the planning authority's initial position and identify early concerns.

• Formal Pre-Application Meetings

  We prepare and submit formal pre-application packs and attend structured meetings with case officers on behalf of clients, securing written officer feedback that directly shapes the application strategy.

• Design Review Panel Submissions

  For larger or more complex schemes, we manage submissions to the borough's design review panel or Design Council (CABE), preparing the presentation material and coordinating the design team's attendance.

• Heritage Officer Consultations

  For schemes in conservation areas or affecting listed buildings, we arrange pre-application meetings with the LPA's heritage and conservation officers to establish their position on design principles and materials.

• Conservation Area Appraisals

  We review the relevant Conservation Area Appraisal and Management Plan before any pre-application submission in a designated area, ensuring the scheme is positioned accurately against its specific policy requirements.

• S106 Early Negotiation

  For schemes likely to attract planning obligations, we engage early with the authority's planning obligations team to establish the scope of any s106 agreement and manage client expectations on contributions before submission.

How Pre-Application Works

We prepare a pre-application pack containing scheme drawings, a planning statement summary, and a schedule of policy compliance. This is submitted to the local authority ahead of the meeting, allowing the case officer to provide informed feedback. Following the meeting, we produce a response schedule mapping the officer's comments to design and policy actions, giving the design team a clear brief for revisions before the formal application is submitted.

Pre-application engagement is particularly valuable in boroughs with active design review procedures, such as Camden, Westminster, Tower Hamlets, and the City of London, where officer expectations on design quality and documentation are demanding. Our experience of working with these authorities on a regular basis ensures we enter each pre-application meeting with a clear understanding of what the officer will want to see — and how to present the scheme to best effect.

Frequently Asked Questions