Richmond upon Thames Planning Search and Pre-Application Advice

Establish the Planning Prospects Before Committing to a Full Application

Richmond upon Thames is one of London’s most attractive and environmentally sensitive boroughs. It combines historic town centres, riverside neighbourhoods, traditional residential streets, larger detached properties, conservation areas, listed buildings and extensive open spaces.

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These qualities make the borough highly desirable, but they can also make planning proposals more complex.

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An extension that appears straightforward may be affected by the character of a conservation area. A roof addition may interrupt an important roofscape. A new house on a large garden plot may raise concerns about trees, access, neighbouring amenity and the established pattern of development.

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For projects where the planning position is uncertain, obtaining pre-application advice can be a sensible first step.

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Planning Application Services (PAS) can provide an independent desktop planning assessment or prepare a more detailed pre-planning application before the client commits to the cost of a full design and planning submission.

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Why a Planning Pre App Can Be Valuable in Richmond

A planning pre app is intended to test the principle or emerging design of a proposal before a full planning application is submitted.

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It can be particularly useful where a project involves:

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• A substantial rear or side extension

• A two-storey extension

• A large roof extension or additional storey

• Development within a conservation area

• Alterations to a listed or historic building

• A basement or lower-ground-floor extension

• A replacement dwelling

• A new house within a garden or infill plot

• The conversion of a house into flats

• A significant change of use

• Development close to the River Thames

• Mature trees or protected landscaping

• A site with a history of refusals

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Pre-application advice does not guarantee planning permission. However, it can identify likely objections, establish whether the principle of development is realistic and help determine whether a proposal should be altered before further money is spent.

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This can be particularly important in Richmond upon Thames, where design quality, heritage, trees, riverside character and the effect on neighbouring properties can carry substantial weight.

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Two Levels of Pre-Application Advice from PAS

Not every project needs the same level of investigation. PAS can provide either a desktop assessment or assist with a more detailed pre-application advice submission.

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Desktop Pre-Planning Assessment

A desktop assessment is suitable where the client wants an early professional view before commissioning a full set of architectural drawings.

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The assessment can consider:

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• The property and surrounding area

• The type and scale of the proposed development

• Previous applications affecting the site

• Comparable decisions nearby

• Conservation-area or listed-building considerations

• Permitted development possibilities

• The likely planning application route

• Potential design, amenity or heritage concerns

• Whether a formal pre-application submission is recommended

• The information likely to be required for a full application

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This approach can be particularly helpful when considering the purchase of a property, exploring alternative development options or deciding whether an ambitious proposal is worth pursuing.

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The resulting advice provides a practical planning direction, but it is not a formal decision from the local authority.

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Detailed Pre-Application Advice Request

For more complex or sensitive proposals, PAS can prepare a detailed pre planning application for consideration by the planning authority.

Depending on the project, this may include:

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• Review of the site and planning history

• Development of an initial design strategy

• Existing and proposed drawings

• Site, block or location plans

• Design and planning information

• Heritage or conservation considerations

• Photographs and contextual information

• Preparation of the pre-application submission

• Liaison during the pre-application process

• Review and interpretation of the authority’s response

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A detailed submission allows the planning authority to comment on a defined proposal rather than a general idea.

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The quality of the information submitted is important. Vague descriptions or incomplete sketches may result in equally general advice. A properly prepared request gives the planning officer a clearer basis for assessing the proposal and identifying what may need to change.

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Planning in Richmond, Kew and Petersham

Richmond, Richmond Hill, Kew and Petersham include some of the borough’s most sensitive townscapes and residential environments.

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The area contains Georgian and Victorian houses, listed buildings, substantial detached homes, mansion blocks, riverside properties and buildings close to important landscapes and open spaces.

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Planning proposals may require particular attention to:

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• Views and rooflines

• Historic building proportions

• Traditional windows and doors

• Trees and mature gardens

• Front boundaries and railings

• The setting of listed buildings

• Riverside character

• The scale of rear and side extensions

• The visibility of roof additions

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In these locations, early planning application advice can help determine whether a proposal needs to be reduced, repositioned or redesigned before detailed drawings are completed.

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Twickenham, St Margarets and Strawberry Hill

Twickenham, St Margarets and Strawberry Hill contain a varied mixture of traditional terraces, suburban family houses, larger period properties, flats, commercial streets and riverside buildings.

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Common proposals include:

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• Side-return and rear extensions

• Loft conversions

• Dormer and mansard roof additions

• Replacement windows

• Basement alterations

• Garden buildings

• Conversion of properties into flats

• New dwellings on larger plots

• Commercial and shopfront alterations

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Many homes sit close to neighbouring properties, making daylight, privacy and the visual effect of extensions important considerations.

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A proposal may also need to respond to an established pattern of development. An extension that is acceptable in one street may be inappropriate in another because of differences in plot size, building form or conservation status.

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Teddington, Hampton and Hampton Wick

Teddington, Hampton, Hampton Hill and Hampton Wick contain traditional residential streets, riverside neighbourhoods, larger suburban plots and busy local centres.

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Domestic proposals commonly involve extensions, roof conversions, garages, garden buildings and alterations intended to modernise family homes.

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Some properties offer substantial development potential, but proposals can still be affected by:

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• Flood risk

• Riverside or waterside character

• Mature trees

• Conservation-area controls

• Restricted permitted development rights

• Neighbouring windows and gardens

• The scale of earlier extensions

• Parking and vehicle access

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A desktop planning assessment can help identify these matters before the design becomes fixed.

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For larger extensions, replacement homes or new dwellings, a detailed pre-application request may provide a stronger basis for deciding whether to proceed.

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Barnes, Mortlake and East Sheen

Barnes, Mortlake and East Sheen contain period terraces, larger family houses, mansion blocks, commercial streets, riverside property and neighbourhoods with a strong architectural identity.

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Planning applications may involve:

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• House and flat extensions

• Roof alterations

• Replacement windows and doors

• Basement development

• Residential conversions

• Shopfronts and advertisements

• Changes of use

• Additional homes on underused land

• Redevelopment of commercial sites

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In Barnes and other sensitive locations, the retention of historic details and the overall appearance of the street may be particularly important.

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Mortlake also includes larger redevelopment and employment sites where proposals may need to address transport, building height, servicing and the relationship between new development and existing residential areas.

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Trees, Gardens and Open Land

Trees and landscaping make an important contribution to many neighbourhoods across Richmond upon Thames.

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A proposal may be affected by:

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• Tree Preservation Orders

• Trees within conservation areas

• Root-protection areas

• Mature landscaping

• Loss of front or rear gardens

• Changes to ground levels

• New driveways and hard surfaces

• Development close to parks or open land

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An extension or new dwelling may need to be repositioned to avoid harm to important trees.

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Where trees are likely to influence the development, an arboricultural survey or impact assessment may be required. This should be considered early rather than after the main design has been completed.

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Using the Richmond upon Thames Planning Search

The Richmond upon Thames planning search can help establish how a property and surrounding area have previously been treated by the planning authority.

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It can be used to research:

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• Previous applications for the property

• Earlier approvals and refusals

• Planning conditions

• Similar development in the same street

• Applications affecting neighbouring properties

• Roof extensions and house alterations nearby

• Replacement dwellings and infill schemes

• Commercial and change-of-use applications

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The planning history can help inform a desktop assessment or detailed pre-application submission.

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However, comparable approvals need to be interpreted carefully. Differences in conservation status, building design, plot size, trees or neighbouring relationships may mean that a proposal is not directly comparable.

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Richmond upon Thames Planning Portal

The Richmond upon Thames planning portal provides access to publicly available application documents and planning decisions.

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It can normally be used to:

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• Search by property address

• Search by application reference

• View submitted drawings

• Read planning and design statements

• Review decision notices

• Check planning conditions

• Examine nearby applications

• Follow the progress of a current proposal

• Comment during the consultation period

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The portal is a valuable research tool, but it does not replace professional assessment of the development potential of an individual property.

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When to Move from Pre-App to a Full Planning Application

A positive pre-application response may provide sufficient confidence to proceed with a full submission. The proposal may still need to be refined to respond to the planning officer’s comments.

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Where the response identifies concerns, the next step may involve:

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• Reducing the size of the proposal

• Changing the roof design

• Increasing separation from a boundary

• Protecting important trees

• Revising windows to prevent overlooking

• Improving the relationship with the original building

• Preparing additional heritage information

• Commissioning specialist reports

• Considering an alternative planning route

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In some cases, pre-application advice may indicate that the original proposal is unlikely to succeed. Establishing this early can prevent the cost and delay of preparing an unsuitable full application.

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Preparing a Richmond upon Thames Planning Application

Before drawings are prepared, it is important to establish the correct application route. Depending on the project, this may include:

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• Planning pre-app or pre-application advice

• Householder planning permission

• Full planning permission

• Prior approval

• Listed building consent

• Advertisement consent

• Change-of-use permission

• Lawful Development Certificate

• Retrospective planning permission

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A complete submission may require:

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• Location and block plans

• Existing and proposed floor plans

• Existing and proposed elevations

• Roof plans and building sections

• Street-scene drawings

• Design and access information

• Heritage or conservation statements

• Daylight and sunlight assessments

• Transport and parking information

• Tree, landscaping or ecology reports

• Drainage, waste or servicing details

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Planning Application Support

Planning Application Services (PAS) can assist with desktop planning assessments, detailed pre-application advice requests, architectural drawings and the preparation and submission of planning applications for properties throughout Richmond upon Thames.