Pre-application advice

Talk to us before submitting a planning application

Before submitting a planning application you can obtain verbal advice from us. If it’s general advice you’re looking for or perhaps some assistance completing the necessary forms, please visit our wheelchair accessible planning reception at:

1st floor Barnet House, 1255 High Road, Whetstone, London N20 0EJ.

Verbal advice is available in connection with minor schemes (for example: small extensions/ alterations, certificates of lawfulness, minor advertisements/signs, enforcement or advice to any local resident affected by a development). Such advice continues to be provided free of charge.

A Duty Planner is available to help you on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays from 9am to 1pm, except bank holidays and during the period between Christmas and New Year.

Formal advice

Formalised written pre-application advice is also available on major, complex or medium-scale development proposals, and certain planning and development briefs.

A written advice service for householders is now available in respect of certain types of proposals, for example, extensions to a single family dwelling.

It is hoped that the formal advice schemes will help to speed up the development process and avoid unacceptable proposals. In order to provide these services to a consistent and high standard, the council has decided that the costs should be recovered directly and not fall as a general cost to the council taxpayer.

These services are primarily of benefit to the applicant and may help to minimise the cost of a subsequent planning application or avoid submitting one where the proposal is totally unacceptable.

Highways

You can also find details on Highways pre-application meetings by reviewing the downloads on the right hand side.