Pre–application advice
Would you like to develop land or property within the borough
and need advice before you apply for planning permission? We offer
a range of pre-application advice services to suit your development
needs. Our advice note “Pre-application
advice for applicants" (pdf 419k) explains what approvals
you may need and provides information on how to get help in
designing your scheme and putting together your application.
Pre-application Advice services
We offer six levels of pre application service
(as set out below) which depend upon the scale, type and complexity
of the proposed development and the associated town planning
issues. For advice on these services please view our advice note
Pre-application
advice for applicants (pdf 419k). This includes a Pre-Application
request form (word 61k) which you need to complete and
submit to us to enable the council to determine which service is
best for your development, this form can be completed
electronically.
A free duty planner service (see below for
more information), covering advice to third parties (including
assistance to third parties affected by development proposals) and
advice on householder development and other very minor forms of
development, including very small scale changes of use, small scale
commercial extensions and small scale advertisements (fascia signs
and projecting signs). Subsequent requested follow up
correspondence will be charged at a standard rate alongside more
general correspondence requests.
Meetings and related correspondence associated
with minor scale development including flat conversions, small
scale housing development (up to 5 dwellings), larger scale
advertisements and larger scale commercial development and changes
of use.
Meetings and related correspondence associated
with medium scale development including larger flat conversions,
changes of use, housing development (between 6-9 units), commercial
development proposals (between 500 sq m and 999 sq m) and specific
listed building advice.
Meetings and related correspondence associated
with major scale development proposals (as defined by DCLG).
Meetings and related correspondence associated
with large scale major development (as defined by DCLG).
Meetings and related correspondence associated
with the approval of details and/or variation of conditions
attached to an existing planning permission.
For pre application engagement to be
successful and robust, the Council is required to resource the
process (in terms of staff time). Similarly, the more complex the
proposal development is, the greater the resource requirement (in
terms of additional staff resources, background research, site and
scheme familiarity and the extensive range of planning policy
considerations). Fees have been set at a level that reflects the
cost of providing the service. The duty planning officer service
will remain free but will be limited to the Scale a) services
outlined above
The Duty Planning Officer service
The duty planning officer service offers
assistance with all types of planning enquiries. It is located at
Anchorage House, 2 Clove Crescent, London, E14 2BE. The service is
free and open between 9am and 5pm Monday - Friday. You do not need
an appointment but, at busy times, you may have to wait to see the
Duty Planner.
Use the duty planning officer service to:
- Pick up the application forms which you need to fill in to
apply for planning permission (you can also
apply on-line or print copies of the form from the planning application forms page.
- Get help with filling in application forms.
- Drop off the forms instead of having to post them to the
council.
- Find out whether or not proposed works are likely to need
planning permission.
- Look up details of existing and proposed planning permissions
(details of pending and decided planning applications can also be
viewed online using our on-line
register
- Look at the statutory register which holds copies of decision
notices and planning agreements since 2000.
- Request copies of planning documents and reports, including the
Unitary Development Plan page and related
documents.
- Obtain pre-application advice for straightforward applications
such as extensions to houses and small commercial buildings, new
shopfronts and adverts or small infill developments. This advice
will be given in response to the material that you supply.
Please note: A site visit cannot be
made, but you can provide photographs of the site. Officers will be
pleased to offer advice, based upon their own professional
judgement, but this will not commit the council to follow that
advice if you make a formal application.
Frequently answered questions can be answered
via our series of advice notes. However,
if you cannot find the answer to your question there, please
contact the service by email or phone before coming to see us -
many questions can be answered easily in this way.
Environmental Impact Assessment Guidance
A small number of major or significant development projects will
require an EIA. Tower Hamlets council has a well developed EIA
Screening and Scoping Opinion service, including a Scoping Guidance
document to help guide you as to what the Council expects to be
included in your EIA (if an EIA is needed).
To find out more about whether your scheme
could require an EIA and to download the EIA Scoping Guidance
document, please view Environmental Impact
Assessment Guidance.
Planning Performance Agreements (PPA's)
Tower Hamlets council has introduced new
arrangements for handling larger scale major planning applications
by way of a Planning Performance Agreement. This is a voluntary
agreement between the local planning authority and the applicant
which provides a project management framework so that unnecessary
delay and uncertainty can be avoided. View the
Planning Performance Agreement template.
If you want to apply for planning permission
view Make a planning Application.
For further information contact:
POSTAL ADDRESS:
Mulberry Place (AH)
PO Box 55739
5 Clove Crescent
London E14 1BY
Tel: 020 7364 5009
Fax: 020 7364 5415
Email:planningandbuilding@towerhamlets.gov.uk
Open 9am to 5pm Monday to Friday - except public holidays.
Public Transport: Buses 277, D6,15,115
Tube/DLR: East India Dock or Blackwall Stations
Location
map for Planning Office (pdf,1.29mb)