Lawful development certificate

If your project appears to fall within permitted development, a lawful development certificate is the council's written confirmation that it does. It is the evidence a buyer's solicitor is likely to ask for when you sell. We prepare the drawings and make the application.

What you get

• Drawings of the house as it is, from a measured survey or your existing drawings.
• Drawings of the proposed work, dimensioned against the limits in the General Permitted Development Order 2015.
• A short statement setting out which Class the work falls within and why.
• The application, made through the Planning Portal, and our answers to any questions the council raises.

What it costs and how long it takes

The council's fee for a certificate for proposed works is half the fee for the equivalent planning application: £274 for householder works from 1 April 2026. The council has 8 weeks to decide. Our fee depends on the project and is confirmed in writing before we start.

Read more in lawful development certificates, when you need one, or test your project with the free permitted development checker.

Ask for a certificate

Email [email protected] with the address and what you plan to build, or use the contact page.