What Happens After Planning Approval?

The practical steps homeowners should take before starting building work

Getting planning approval is a major milestone, but it is not always the end of the approval process.

After planning permission is granted, you may still need to deal with:

Planning conditions
Approved drawings
Building regulations
Structural calculations
Party wall matters
Contractor pricing
Other consents or legal permissions
Changes to the approved design
Discharge of conditions before work starts

At Planning Application Services (PAS), we help homeowners understand what their planning approval actually means and what needs to happen next.

Planning permission gives approval in planning terms. It does not automatically confirm that the project is ready to build, structurally designed or compliant with building regulations. The Planning Portal explains that planning permission and building regulations approval are separate controls, and one may be needed even where the other is not.

The quick answer

After planning approval, you should:

Read the decision notice carefully
Check every planning condition
Confirm which drawings have been approved
Check whether any conditions must be discharged before work starts
Confirm whether building regulations approval is required
Arrange structural calculations if needed
Check party wall requirements
Get proper contractor quotations
Avoid building anything different from the approved plans
Keep records of all approvals, drawings and correspondence
Check whether any other permissions are required before starting work

IMPORTANT POINT
Planning approval does not always mean you can start building tomorrow. Some permissions include conditions that must be dealt with before development begins.

1. Read the planning decision notice

The first thing to do is read the council’s planning decision notice.

This document normally confirms:

The planning application reference
The property address
The description of approved development
The decision date
The approved drawings
The planning conditions
The reasons for those conditions
Any informatives or advisory notes

Do not just look for the word “approved”.

The detail matters because the decision notice controls what has actually been granted.

You should check:

Is the project approved exactly as submitted?
Were revised drawings approved during the application?
Are there any pre-commencement conditions?
Are materials controlled?
Are windows, rooflights or privacy screens restricted?
Are future permitted development rights limited?
Are there advisory notes about building regulations, highways, trees, drainage or party wall matters?

2. Check the approved drawings

Planning approval normally relates to the drawings listed on the decision notice.

These may include:

Site location plan
Block plan
Existing floor plans
Proposed floor plans
Existing elevations
Proposed elevations
Roof plans
Sections
Revised drawings submitted during the application

You should make sure your builder, engineer and building control team are working from the approved versions.

Problems can happen when:

The builder prices from an old drawing
The homeowner changes the layout after approval
The structural design does not match the planning drawings
The approved roof shape is altered on site
A window or door is moved without checking planning
Materials are changed without checking conditions

TOP TIP
Create one final approved drawing folder before moving to the building regulations or construction stage. This avoids confusion later.

3. Check the planning conditions

Most planning approvals include conditions.

Planning conditions may control:

When work must start
Which drawings must be followed
External materials
Windows and doors
Obscure glazing
Privacy screens
Landscaping
Drainage
Trees
Parking
Cycle storage
Refuse storage
Use of the building
Construction management
Future permitted development rights

Government planning guidance explains that conditions are used to make development acceptable in planning terms and should meet tests such as being necessary, relevant, precise, enforceable and reasonable.

4. Identify pre-commencement conditions

Some planning conditions must be discharged before building work starts.

Look carefully for wording such as:

“No development shall commence until…”
“Prior to commencement…”
“Before any works begin…”
“Before above-ground works…”
“Before occupation…”
“Before the use commences…”

Pre-commencement conditions may relate to:

Materials
Drainage
Tree protection
Construction management
Site levels
Highways
Contamination
Heritage details
Ecology
Demolition method

If a pre-commencement condition applies, you may need to submit further details to the council and wait for written approval before starting work. The Planning Portal explains that applicants can apply for approval or discharge of conditions by providing details showing how the condition will be met.

5. Discharge planning conditions where required

Discharging a condition means asking the council to approve the details required by that condition.

A discharge of conditions submission may include:

Drawings
Material details
Product specifications
Photographs
Samples
Drainage information
Tree protection plans
Construction management details
Landscaping information
Parking or cycle storage layouts
Privacy screen details
Heritage details

Not every condition needs a separate application, but every condition needs to be checked.

Ignoring conditions can cause problems with:

Planning enforcement
Building work starting late
Solicitors during a future sale
Lenders or remortgage checks
Builder changes on site
Regularising the project later

6. Check whether building regulations approval is needed

Many projects need building regulations approval after planning permission is granted.

This commonly applies to:

House extensions
Loft conversions
Garage conversions
Structural alterations
New openings
Drainage works
New bathrooms
New kitchens
Insulation upgrades
Fire safety works
Changes to stairs, floors, roofs or walls

Building regulations deal with how the project is designed and constructed.

They cover issues such as:

Structure
Fire safety
Insulation
Ventilation
Drainage
Stairs
Glazing
Electrical safety
Energy performance
Accessibility
Construction standards

GOV.UK explains that building regulations approval may be needed for putting up a new building, extending or altering an existing one, or providing services and fittings such as washing and sanitary facilities.

7. Prepare building regulation drawings

Planning drawings are usually not enough for building work.

Building regulation drawings may need to show:

Foundations
Floor construction
Wall construction
Roof construction
Insulation
Drainage
Ventilation
Fire safety
Structural beams
Lintels
Stairs
Thermal details
Electrical and heating notes
Construction specification

These drawings help:

Building control assess the project
Structural engineers design the structure
Builders price the work more accurately
Homeowners understand what is being built
Reduce confusion during construction

IMPORTANT POINT
Planning drawings show what is proposed. Building regulation drawings explain how it should be built.

8. Arrange structural calculations if needed

Many approved projects need structural design before work starts.

Structural calculations may be needed for:

Removing load-bearing walls
Installing steel beams
Loft conversions
Dormers
Roof alterations
Garage conversions
Extensions
New openings
Chimney breast removals
Complex foundations
Basement or retaining works

The structural engineer’s design should coordinate with:

The approved planning drawings
Building regulation drawings
Builder requirements
Building control comments
Site constraints

If the structure changes the approved external appearance, you may also need to check whether the planning approval is affected.

9. Check party wall requirements

Planning approval does not remove party wall obligations.

You may need party wall advice if the work involves:

Building on or near a boundary
Excavating near neighbouring foundations
Cutting into a party wall
Raising or altering a party wall
Loft conversion structural beams into party walls
Removing chimney breasts on a party wall
Building a rear or side extension close to neighbours

Party wall matters are separate from planning permission and building regulations.

They are legal notices and procedures between building owners and adjoining owners.

10. Check other permissions and practical approvals

Some projects need additional checks before work starts.

These may include:

Freeholder consent
Leaseholder consent
Mortgage lender consent
Thames Water or sewer build-over approval
Highway licence
Skip licence
Scaffold licence
Tree works consent
Listed building consent
Conservation area consent for demolition
Build-over or drainage agreements
Utility company approvals
Landlord approval
Estate management approval

These are not always part of the planning approval.

A project can have planning permission but still be delayed if another consent has not been dealt with.

11. Get proper builder quotations

Once planning approval is in place, many homeowners want to get builder prices.

Before asking for firm quotes, it is sensible to provide:

Approved planning drawings
Building regulation drawings
Structural calculations
Specification notes
Drainage information
Any planning conditions
Any required materials information
Any access or site constraints
Any party wall limitations

Builder quotations are more reliable when everyone prices the same information.

Without clear drawings and specification, quotes can vary widely because different builders may be assuming different things.

12. Do not build something different without checking

A common mistake is assuming that small changes do not matter.

You should check before changing:

Roof shape
Extension size
Window positions
Door positions
Materials
Cladding
Boundary walls
Privacy screens
Rooflights
Dormers
Balconies
External steps
Use of the approved space

Some small changes may be dealt with by a non-material amendment.

More significant changes may need:

A Section 73 application
A new planning application
Revised building regulation drawings
Updated structural calculations

Building something different from the approved drawings can create a retrospective planning problem later.

13. Start work before the permission expires

Planning approvals usually include a time condition.

This normally requires development to start within a set period.

You should check:

The decision date
The time limit condition
What counts as commencement
Whether pre-commencement conditions must be discharged first
Whether building regulations approval is ready
Whether party wall matters are complete
Whether the builder can start within the permission period

If planning permission expires, you may need to apply again.

14. Keep proper records

Keep a clear project file with:

Planning decision notice
Approved drawings
Planning conditions
Discharge of condition approvals
Building regulation drawings
Structural calculations
Building control approval
Party wall notices and awards
Contractor quotes
Material approvals
Completion certificates
Council correspondence

This can help with:

Construction
Future sale
Remortgage
Insurance
Solicitor enquiries
Resolving disputes
Proving the work was properly approved

15. Understand that approval may still have risk

Planning approval is positive, but it does not mean every practical issue has been solved.

You may still need to check:

Is the design buildable?
Is the budget realistic?
Are the foundations suitable?
Are drains affected?
Are neighbours affected by party wall work?
Are conditions discharged?
Are materials available?
Has building control approved the technical design?
Has the builder priced the correct drawings?
Are there any site access issues?

Planning approval is a gateway, not the complete construction package.