At present, due to the increase in coronavirus-related calls and the need to prioritise those queries, callers wishing to reach the Planning service may have longer waits and/or sometimes receive no answer at all, depending on demand. We ask our customers to be patient and wherever possible use the council web pages to provide answers to queries. For urgent enquiries, email planning@lambeth.gov.uk.
The Planning service, in line with the wider council, is working hard to minimise disruption to planning services as a result of coronavirus. Unfortunately, there are some temporary changes that we have had to implement at this stage:
- We are currently unable to accept cash or cheque payments for planning applications. Please use the payment portals provided on the council’s web pages for making payment against planning applications - Pay for a planning application and for making payment for pre application - Pay for a pre-application.
- All hard copy/paper applications will experience delays in processing and we encourage the submission of electronic applications at this time, either using the Planning Portal or sending by email to planning@lambeth.gov.uk.
- We would ask that applicants do not send USB sticks with their applications as the council is currently unable to access effectively supporting documentation provided in this format.
- We are unable to accept planning applications in person at this time.
We encourage all applicants to submit all applications and supporting documentation electronically. You can use Planning Portal directly.
Our Apply for a Lawful Development Certificate service is now available to use for this type of application. Find out more about Lambeth’s innovative digital planning services, and ways you can get involved, on our project page.
Alternatively, you can download an application form from the Planning Portal site and submit it by email to planning@lambeth.gov.uk or use a file transfer website if required.
Submit a planning application online
Apply for a Lawful Development Certificate (Public Beta)
These actions are completed online using the Planning Portal service. There is a charge for using the Planning Portal service.
Alternatively, you can download an application form from the Planning Portal site, fill it in and send by email to planning@lambeth.gov.uk.
Please either telephone 020 7926 1180 to make a debit or credit card payment for your submitted application, or use the following link to make a payment using the council’s online payment option:
Pay for a planning application
Pay for a pre-application - please note that these payments will be subject to VAT.
You must quote the proposal site and/or application reference number (if known) when making your payment.
Anyone may submit a planning application.
Planning Portal offers an online fee calculator and the Planning Portal offer a guide to planning application fees to help you choose the correct fee for your application.
Planning Portal - online fee calculator
Planning Portal - a guide to planning application fees (PDF, 109KB)
The government approved legislation that increased statutory planning application fees by an average of 20% in England from 17 January 2018. The legislation also introduces new fee categories for permission in principle applications.
Do you need planning permission?
In some cases it is not necessary to apply to us for planning permission because works benefit from ‘permitted development’. We offer online advice on permitted development and whether permission is required.
What to submit with your application
If you do need to make a planning application, please read our guide on the drawings and supporting information that you must submit with your application:
Local Planning Application Requirements (PDF, 2.25MB)
We also publish a list of the 10 most common reasons an application is invalid. Ensuring that you have properly completed your application form and have submitted all of the necessary supporting information will avoid an unnecessary delay before we consider your application.
Advice on the new Planning Validation Requirement, which comes in effect on 01 August 2021, to submit a Fire Statement Form in support of a relevant planning application
This should be read in conjunction with the Local Application Requirements (LARs) of July 2016, which set out the information that the Local Planning Authority requires to register, assess, and determine applications.
Failure to submit the necessary supporting information, including a Fire Statement, where required, will result in your application being registered as ‘invalid’ and lead to a delay in processing the application until the required information is received.
- From the 1st August 2021, legislative changes in The Town and Country Planning (Development Management Procedure and Section 62A Applications) (England) (Amendment) Order 2021 require the completion and submission of a Fire Statement Form to accompany all applications for planning permission for the erection of new; alterations to existing; or change of use of relevant buildings.
- ‘Relevant buildings’ are those of 18 metres or 7 storeys in height or over (whichever is lowest) and containing two or more units of residential accommodation or educational accommodation. The Fire Statement Form and guidance on its completion is available from the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government’s website via the following link: Fire Statement Form and Guidance.
- The Fire Statement Form should be completed in full and must address fire safety issues to the extent they are relevant to land use planning. The Fire Statement Form should include information on the entire development as set out on the plan that identifies the land to which the application relates.
- In addition to the above, all planning applications, which fall within the ‘Major’ classification (regardless of building height and proposed use) should be accompanied by a Fire Statement as required under Policy D12B of the London Plan 2021. The statement should be completed by a suitably qualified professional and clearly address the criteria within that policy.
Further advice on requirement 8 of the Local Application Requirements (LARs) July 2016:
This should be read in conjunction with the Local Application Requirements (LARs) of July 2016 as an update to requirement 8, clarifying the approach to sensitive information and where development is for fewer than 10 homes:
- Requirement 8 of the LARs requires a Financial Viability Assessment for schemes providing new residential units that are not policy-compliant (in terms of policies H2 and H4 of the Local Plan) on sites of at least 0.1 hectares or capable of accommodating 10 or more homes. This requirement now also applies to all applications for residential development providing fewer than 10 new homes.
- If a Financial Viability Assessment is submitted under requirement 8 and includes proposed redactions for a published version, the council will consider these redactions within five working days of submission. The council will notify the applicant of the information that it intends to publish, before its publication. The council will then publish the information after 10 working days following that notification. Applicants are encouraged to discuss redactions with the council at pre-application stage in order to agree any redactions prior to submission. Any redactions agreed may be subject to further review in the light of applications under the Freedom of Information Act 2000 or Environmental Information Regulations 2004.
Your personal information when submitting an application
When you submit a planning application to us we will publish it on our planning application database and in our weekly planning lists. The information published will include the site address, the applicant's name, and the agent's name and address. The drawings and documents submitted with the application will also be published on the planning application database. We may also share your application with other teams in the council and with external partners who provide expertise through the consultation process.
In the event of an appeal, your application, including personal information, may be passed on to the Planning Inspectorate. They may share your information in a different way to us and so we recommend that you read the Planning Inspectorate privacy policy prior to submitting an application.
If your application contains sensitive information or special category data, we recommend that you contact us before submitting your application.
We are committed to protecting your privacy. Find out more about the information that we collect, and your rights, by reading our privacy notice.
The planning application process
If you are not familiar with the planning application process we also recommend that you review our planning application process guide. This gives guidance on what to consider before you submit an application, and what happens to an average application after it is submitted, including:
- validation
- consultation
- commenting on an application
- the decision-making process
- post-decision considerations.
Sending documents
Lambeth is committed to improving its service by focusing on online submissions which aids document retrieval and storage. We encourage applicants to submit all applications and supporting documentation electronically. You can use the Planning Portal, a USB key, or use a file transfer website.
Discharge of conditions
From 1 September 2016, all applications received for discharge of multiple conditions will be dealt with under a single application reference. This means that if one part of the submission is unacceptable, there is a risk that the whole application will be refused. If you are concerned that this may apply to your scheme, then you are advised to submit separate individual applications for each condition. Please indicate on the application form, or as a covering letter, which drawings and documents relate to which condition.