Planning drawings in Spelthorne, £895 fixed

What is the householder approval rate in Spelthorne?

Spelthorne Borough Council granted 306 of 351 householder decisions (87.2%) from 1 July 2025 to 30 June 2026, counting householder planning applications and larger home extension prior approvals together. Across London the same measure was 85.8% (20,556 of 23,967). Source: MHCLG live table PS2, district planning application statistics, 1 July 2025 to 30 June 2026. See the other Surrey councils on the Surrey planning page.

What does Spelthorne Borough Council need to validate an application?

• Every application needs a Design Code checklist for the relevant Area Type, self-assessing compliance with the Spelthorne Design Code (local list updated June 2026, published for consultation from 11 June to 9 July 2026; we have not confirmed it was adopted afterwards). (source)
• Where the work adjoins a neighbouring home, the drawings must show the positions and heights of the windows on the neighbour's facing elevation, so the scheme can be assessed against the Design Code. (source)
• Elevations at 1:50 or 1:100 showing every side, blank elevations included, annotated with the overall dimensions and height of each element and the distance to the site boundaries. (source)
• Where the work is liable to the Community Infrastructure Levy, all internal dimensions must be shown on the floor plans. (source)
• Householder applications need the householder checklist from the Climate Change SPD, showing how the scheme addresses its climate change measures. (source)

Article 4 directions in Spelthorne

An Article 4 direction removes permitted development rights, so work that needs no application elsewhere needs one here. Check yours with the permitted development checker.

• Houses in multiple occupation: Staines, Stanwell North, and Ashford North and Stanwell South wards. Made on 21 August 2024, confirmed on 18 February 2025 and in effect from 29 August 2025: converting a house into a small HMO needs planning permission. (source)
• Houses in multiple occupation: the rest of the borough. Made on 5 March 2025, confirmed on 17 December 2025 and in effect from 13 March 2026. The council says planning permission is now needed to turn a house into any HMO, of any size, in every ward. (source)

The council says the borough has eight conservation areas: the national planning data register lists Staines, Stanwell, Laleham, Shepperton, Lower Halliford, Upper Halliford, Lower Sunbury and Manygate Lane. (source)

How long does a planning decision take in Spelthorne?

Eight weeks is the statutory period for a householder application. Of the 228 householder planning applications Spelthorne decided from 1 July 2025 to 30 June 2026, excluding prior approvals, 223 (97.8%) were decided within eight weeks.

• Written householder advice on whether a proposal is acceptable costs £135 (the council's page does not say from when or whether VAT is included); the council gives householders written advice only, with meetings kept for larger schemes and new dwellings. (source)
• A duty planning officer takes calls on Monday, Wednesday and Friday mornings, 10am to 12pm, and gives free verbal advice on policy for householder proposals. (source)

Design guidance: Spelthorne Design Code SPD. Adopted on 17 March 2026, the same day as the Local Plan 2024 to 2039/40; Appendix C covers the design of residential extensions.

Other local costs and documents in Spelthorne

• Site visit and advice on historic buildings costs £265, and householder tree advice with a site visit £140. (source)
• The Spelthorne Local Plan 2024 to 2039/40 was adopted at an extraordinary council meeting on 17 March 2026. (source)

Planning and building regulations drawings in Spelthorne

The same published prices apply in Spelthorne as everywhere we work.

• fixed-fee planning drawings: £895, survey to submission, with the council fee paid separately.
• full plans drawings for building control: £795, drawn to the Approved Documents once planning is settled.
• check what a loft conversion needs: volume limits, dormers and the building regulations a loft conversion triggers.

Where your work is permitted development, a certificate of lawfulness starts at £950. Not sure which applies? Read do I need planning permission? first.

Neighbouring councils

Spelthorne shares a boundary with five council areas where we publish the same council data. Each has its own approval rate, validation checklist and Article 4 areas, so check which council your address falls under before relying on any one page.

Council facts checked 14 October 2026.