Do I need planning
permission?
You're not alone in asking — and most planning setbacks are avoidable if you catch them early. Take the free 60-second assessment and get an instant read on where your project stands, plus what to do next.
Planning permission, from the other side of the desk.
500+
Most consultants tell you what to write. I can tell you what the officer will think — because for 9+ years, that officer was me.
I've sat on both sides of the planning desk.
For 9+ years, I was a planning officer inside a Local Planning Authority. I read the applications, sat in on committees, and watched plenty of well-intentioned schemes succeed — and fail — for reasons most homeowners never see coming.
Now I work for the other side of the desk. Most of my clients are extending a family home, converting a loft, replacing an outbuilding, or trying to build in a tricky garden. Many arrive anxious — they've heard the refusal stories, or already had a knock-back and don't know what went wrong.
My job is to tell them straight: what'll fly, what won't, and what's actually worth fighting for.
See case studies →Real homeowners.
Real outcomes.
We'd been refused twice on a rear extension and given up. Tom looked at it for half an hour and told us exactly what was killing it. Three months later it was approved.
He'll tell you straight if your project's a stretch. Worth more than any fancy report — he saved us spending £8k on plans that were never going through.
Knew our council inside out — what they care about, what they wave through. Felt like having a planning officer on our side. Hugely calming through a daunting process.
The 20-minute call paid for itself ten times over. Tom reframed our loft application in a way I'd never have thought of, and it sailed through.
We were about to instruct an architect for a scheme that had no chance. Tom caught it on the first call and pointed us at something that actually worked.
Honest, fast, and clearly knows the system from the inside. The written report gave us the confidence to actually go ahead.
Built for homeowners,
not corporate developers.
House extensions & alterations
Single-storey. Double-storey. Side-return. Wraparound. I'll tell you what your council will actually accept — before you spend thousands on drawings.
Loft conversions & dormers
Hip-to-gable. Mansard. Dormer. Whether it's permitted development or needs full permission, I'll find the cleanest route through.
Outbuildings & garden rooms
Studios, annexes, gyms, granny flats. The rules around what counts as "incidental" trip people up constantly. I'll keep you on the right side of the line.
Refused before? Appeals.
A refusal isn't the end. I'll read the decision notice the way the inspector will, work out what's actually winnable, and tell you straight if it isn't.
Self-builds & garden plots
Subdividing. Infill plots. Replacement dwellings. The borderline cases — where good planning advice matters most.
Lawful Development Certificates
In plain English: proving what you've built is allowed, or that what you want doesn't need permission at all. Hugely valuable if you're selling, too.
Two ways to get the answer you need.
Whether you want a written planning view or a strategy session with me directly, there's a fixed-price option to match. No hourly clocks. No creep. You see the price before you buy.
- Full site & policy assessment
- Constraints, opportunities & strategy
- Read the way a planning officer would
- One-to-one with a chartered planner
- Tailored strategy for your project
- Clear, prioritised next steps
Things homeowners always ask me.
Do I actually need planning permission for this?+
I've already been refused — is there anything I can do?+
How much does it cost?+
Will you tell me if my project is a long shot?+
Do I still need an architect?+
How long does the whole process take?+
Got a project in mind?
Let's talk it through.
Twenty minutes. No pitch. No pressure. Just an honest answer on whether your idea is worth taking forward — and if it is, exactly how to give it the best shot.