What Should a Planning Statement Include in London?

Does my application need one?

Councils decide through their local lists, and the three London lists we read draw the line in different places.

Wandsworth asks for a planning statement with all applications for full and outline planning permission, but says it "may vary in format from a short summary (i.e. a covering letter) to a detailed document" (Wandsworth checklist, July 2026, item 1). A householder application is a separate application type from full planning permission, so check with the council which applies to your scheme.

Lambeth asks for one with all major applications and "where a complex planning case or justification needs to be set out" that other documents do not cover (Lambeth local list, item 58).

Bromley asks for one for major developments and for proposals raising a wide range of planning issues, including "very special circumstances" on Green Belt or Metropolitan Open Land (Bromley validation guidance).

So for a rear extension in Lambeth or Bromley, the answer is usually no. For a house split into flats, a new home in a garden, or a scheme the council has already refused once, a statement is worth writing even where the list does not insist, because those are the cases where the officer has to weigh policy.

Why does the statement follow the development plan?

Because the decision does. Section 38(6) of the Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act 2004 says decisions must be made in accordance with the development plan unless material considerations indicate otherwise (legislation.gov.uk). In London the development plan is the London Plan, the borough's local plan and any neighbourhood plan that covers the site.

A planning statement is that test written out in advance. It names the policies, shows how the scheme meets each one, and where it falls short of one, explains which material considerations justify approval anyway. The National Planning Policy Framework and the council's supplementary planning documents are material considerations, not the development plan itself, and a statement that treats them as the main test reads the law the wrong way round.

What are the seven sections?

1. The site and its surroundings. The building, the street, the public transport access, and every designation: conservation area, listed building, Article 4 direction, flood zone, tree preservation orders.
2. Planning history. Earlier permissions, refusals and appeals on the site from the council's register, and any conditions that still apply. An appeal decision on the same street can carry real weight.
3. The proposal. What is being built or changed, in numbers: units, bedrooms, floor areas, parking, cycle spaces, bin storage.
4. Policy framework. The London Plan and local plan policies the scheme engages, listed by number, with the NPPF and supplementary guidance identified as material considerations.
5. Assessment, one issue at a time. The principle of the use, housing quality, design and heritage, neighbours' light and privacy, transport, and anything else the policies raise.
6. Benefits and other considerations. New homes, an empty building brought back into use, or an appeal decision that supports the scheme.
7. Conclusion. One paragraph the officer can lift into the report, saying why the scheme accords with the plan taken as a whole.

What changes for a flat conversion?

Turning one house into two or more flats is a material change of use under section 55(3)(a) of the 1990 Act, so it always needs planning permission, and the statement carries more weight than for an extension.

London boroughs typically test conversions on whether a family-sized home is lost, the internal space of each flat, outdoor space, refuse and cycle storage, and parking stress. Space is measured against the nationally described space standard; the government's own amendment note records that a one-bedroom, one-person home with a shower room needs 37 m2 rather than 39 m2 (MHCLG). The statement should give a table of each flat against its standard and point to the drawing that shows it. Our house to flats guide and the flat conversion service cover the drawings.

How do I write one after a refusal?

Start from the decision notice. Number each refusal reason, quote it, and under it say what changed in the scheme and which drawing shows the change. If a reason has not been addressed because you disagree with it, say why, with the policy wording and any appeal decision that supports you.

This matters more than it did. The 2023 fee amendment regulations revoked the exemptions that once let you resubmit free after a refusal or withdrawal (legislation.gov.uk), so a second application pays the full fee again. Our post on redrawing plans after a refusal covers the drawings, and pre-application advice can test the revised scheme before you pay that fee.

How long should it be?

As long as the questions the scheme raises. Wandsworth's own list says a covering letter can be enough. A change of use with one issue might need three pages; a new home in a back garden in a conservation area might need fifteen, with a heritage section. Where a heritage statement or design and access statement is also required, the planning statement can refer to them rather than repeat them.

All the supporting documents we prepare, with fees, are on the planning reports hub, and our planning statement service sets out what is included.

Frequently asked questions

Is a planning statement the same as a design and access statement? No. A design and access statement explains the design and access approach and is a national requirement in set cases. A planning statement makes the policy case. Some councils accept one document covering both where both are needed.

Do I need a planning statement for an HMO? Usually it helps. A large HMO, or a small one in an area covered by an Article 4 direction, needs planning permission, and the council will weigh its policies on housing mix and amenity. Our HMO planning guide explains when permission is needed.

Can I write my own planning statement? Yes. There is no rule about who writes it. What matters is that it names the right policies and answers them honestly.

Will a planning statement guarantee permission? No. It makes the case clearly; the council still decides on the scheme and the plan.