Is your extension heading for a costly planning refusal?
A pre-application review of your site by a chartered town planner who spent nine years deciding — and refusing — applications from the council side. Extension, loft, garden room or self-build: know where you really stand before you spend a penny on drawings.
“I spent nine years on the other side of the desk — assessing, and refusing, applications exactly like yours.”
Most planning advice comes from people who have never actually refused an application. I have. The Snapshot is my read on what your council is genuinely likely to do with your site — grounded in the local policies, constraints and decision-making I worked with from the inside for nearly a decade. It's the assessment I wish every homeowner could get before they commit serious money.
Most homeowners do this backwards.
They spend thousands on architectural drawings and council fees first, and only discover whether local policy allows the build when the decision lands. By then the money is gone. The UK planning system is complex and unforgiving — but the costliest mistakes are nearly always avoidable.
Wasted capital
£3,000+ on architects and surveys for a scheme a local policy was never going to permit.
Months in the dark
An application submitted blind, then weeks of waiting with no read on the likely outcome.
The hidden constraint
An Article 4 Direction, conservation area or protected tree that nobody flagged in time.
A clear, objective read on your site's real potential.
I bring together official planning data, GIS analysis and your local policy framework — interpreted by someone who has sat on the deciding side — and deliver it as a structured, plain-English PDF within 5 working days.
Planning risk verdict
An honest assessment of how likely your project is to succeed as proposed, with a colour-coded risk matrix showing every hurdle at a glance.
Site constraints review
The physical, environmental and designation constraints affecting your plot: conservation areas, Article 4 Directions, flood risk, protected trees and more.
Strategic next steps
A clear roadmap of exactly what to do next, in what order, to give your project its best chance.
Plus: planning history analysis of nearby decisions, Local Plan and national policy fit, an early read on neighbour impact, and the surveys and reports your application will need.
From a real Snapshot: nearby decisions read and colour-coded, so you can see the local pattern at a glance. (Sample — fictional site.)
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See a real Snapshot before you buy
A full sample report for a fictional site — the exact format, depth and honesty you'll receive. Enter your name and email and the download starts immediately.
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Three steps to clarity.
Share your address and project
Your property address and a brief overview of what you hope to build. No blueprints required — just your idea.
I run the analysis
I assess your site's constraints, planning history and policy alignment using official data, GIS tools and your council's local framework.
Receive your Snapshot
Within within 5 working days, a clearly formatted PDF lands in your inbox: your risk level, what the council is looking for, and how to move forward.
Frequently asked questions
Does the Snapshot guarantee planning permission?
No — nothing can, and you should be wary of anyone who suggests otherwise. What it does is tell you honestly where the risks sit and how to address them before you commit serious money.
What do you need from me?
Just your address and a short description of what you want to build. Everything else comes from official data and my analysis.
Can I see one first?
Yes — request the free sample report above. It's a complete Snapshot for a fictional site, so you can judge the format and depth before buying.
What if my project looks unviable?
Then I'll tell you plainly — that's the point. Finding out for £199 that a scheme can't be won on your site, before drawings are commissioned, is the Snapshot doing its job.
Is this formal planning advice?
The Snapshot is an early-stage feasibility review to support your decision-making. It doesn't replace formal planning, legal or architectural advice for the application itself.
You'll complete a short intake form with your address and project details — no drawings needed. Your Snapshot follows within 5 working days.
Please note: the Planning Intelligence Snapshot is an early-stage planning intelligence product. It does not guarantee planning permission and does not constitute formal legal or planning advice.
PlanWiser · Independent planning advisory · planwiser.uk