Submitting a planning application costs a fee and, more importantly, time — an incomplete or poorly prepared submission doesn't just get refused, it often gets stuck at validation stage before it's even assessed, which wastes weeks before the real process even begins.
Working through a short list of checks before submission catches most of the common causes of delay.
Confirm which authority actually covers the address
This sounds obvious but boundary changes and address ambiguity near council borders do occasionally cause confusion. Confirm the correct planning authority — Ashford, Maidstone, Tunbridge Wells, Tonbridge & Malling, Rother or another — and use their current validation checklist, not a generic template, since requirements for supporting documents differ between authorities.
Check the authority's website for the specific list of documents required for a householder application of your type, rather than assuming last year's requirements or a neighbour's experience still applies.
Check for removed permitted development rights
Search the property's planning history, and if possible the title deeds, for any condition removing permitted development rights, an Article 4 direction covering the area, or a previous approval that already used up part of the allowance. None of these show up automatically when you draw up a scheme — they have to be actively checked.
This is particularly relevant for properties that have already been extended by a previous owner, since a new proposal is measured against the total extension already carried out, not against the current owner's own additions alone.
Check the property's designation status
Confirm whether the property sits within a conservation area, an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, or has a listed building nearby that affects the setting. Each of these changes what a case officer will scrutinise — materials, roofline, and impact on the wider street or landscape — and a scheme designed without accounting for the designation is more likely to attract objection or a request for amendment.
Where a listed building is involved directly, separate listed building consent may be needed alongside or instead of planning permission, and this needs identifying before submission, not discovered afterwards.
Review your own drawings critically before they go in
Check that existing and proposed elevations are both included and clearly distinguish what's changing from what's staying, that a location plan with a correct red line boundary is attached, and that measurements are consistent across all sheets. A mismatch between a stated dimension on one drawing and another is a common trigger for a validation query.
If a design and access statement is required for the scale of work, check it addresses the actual points a case officer will weigh — impact on neighbours, character of the area, and how the design responds to context — rather than reading as generic boilerplate.
Think about neighbours before the council notifies them
Neighbours will be formally notified once the application is validated, but talking to them beforehand about a scheme that affects their light, boundary or outlook often heads off an objection that would otherwise land during the consultation period. This isn't required, but it's a sensible step given how much an objection can slow down what would otherwise be a straightforward decision.
If the works are close to a shared boundary or wall, be aware that a separate party wall notice process will also be needed regardless of the planning outcome, and it runs on its own timeline.
Common questions
Do I need a design and access statement for every application?+
No — it depends on the scale and type of development and the specific authority's requirements. Check the validation checklist for your council rather than assuming, since thresholds vary.
Should I talk to the council before submitting?+
Many authorities offer a pre-application advice service for a fee, which can flag concerns before you commit to a full application. It's worth it on anything complex, unusual, or within a sensitive designation.
What if a previous owner already extended the house?+
Any permitted development allowance is calculated against the total extension carried out since a fixed reference date, regardless of who did it. Check the planning history before assuming your proposal has the full allowance available.
Have your drawings checked before you submit
We can review a proposed scheme against permitted development limits and local designation before you spend money on a submission that might not need to happen.