Apply for planning permission

COVID-19: Guidance for submitting your planning application.

 Due to current Government Guidance restricting non-essential contact with others, the majority of our staff will be working from home. In order to avoid delays in processing, please submit your applications via the planning portal.

You should use the planning portal to complete your application form; upload supporting documents and calculate your fee.

 Apply online for planning permission

 

If you can't apply online, you can download application forms from the Planning Portal and send us your completed form with the required information by email: 

Email: planningandbuilding@towerhamlets.gov.uk

Other consent you may need

As well as applying for planning permission, you may need to apply for other approvals or consents that could include:

  • advertisement consent
  • listed building consent
  • prior approvals for certain permitted developments
  • works to protected tress or trees in a conservation area.

Before you apply

If you need help with your application, we would encourage you to use our planning pre-application advice service.

You may wish to use a planning agent to handle your application. 

The following may also apply to you proposal:

What happens next?

We will usually tell you our decision within eight weeks. The time limit for large or complex applications is 13 weeks or 16 weeks if an application is subject to an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA). This timeframe may be extended if you have entered into a Planning Performance Agreement (PPA) as part of your application.

Find out more about what happens after you make a planning application.

Submission requirements

To avoid delays with processing your application, please ensure that when submitting your application electronically:

  • each file must be less than 10MB
  • drawings should be submitted as individual files, have the correct drawing name and drawing number in the file title
  • large documents such as Environmental Statements, Design & Access Statements, and Flood Risk Assessments, should be split into separate files and labelled accordingly (e.g. part 1, part 2 etc) and sized at no more than 10MB each

PDF drawings have a measuring tool embedded in them (i.e. not just a scale bar on the plan). This option becomes available when you create a drawing.  Please refer to your software help desk should this option not appear to be available.

London Legacy Development Corporation area

Any planning application relating to land in Hackney Wick or Fish Island, which is in Tower Hamlets, must be submitted to the London Legacy Development Corporation (who is the planning authority for that area).