Get planning advice (Duty Planner Standard Service)

The Duty Planner Standard Service offers an email service with advice for householders, their representatives and local businesses. We will send you a brief written summary of our response to the key points that you have raised in your enquiry.

What advice you can get

This service includes:

advice on your proposal before you submit it
advice on the development plan and other planning guidance/legislation
advice to help you develop your scheme
help getting a decision made quickly

The service covers straightforward schemes, and revisions to previously decided applications for buildings, (including window applications in conservation areas), provided they are not a listed building. For example:

simple householder extensions and alterations (not within a Conservation Area)
window replacement (including properties within a Conservation Area)
shopfront and advertisement alterations to business premises.
the adequacy of information provided to discharge conditions attached to planning permissions (note this does not provide
input from other departments within the Council, such as the Highways or Environmental Health departments)
Lawful Development Certificate applications – we can also tell you if your proposed development or change of use is likely to be permitted

Before you request advice

We strongly recommend that you look at the Planning Portal before you book a chargeable service. Here you’ll find:

an interactive guide for houses
an interactive guide for terraces (including flats, shops and basements)
information about common projects
frequently asked questions, which cover both planning permission and building regulations

You should also read our planning policy and guidance.

Cost of the service

The charge for the service will vary according to the type of service being requested and the number of separate enquiries within an individual request Please see the table for our charges.

Type of Service Required	Cost
Householder - Written advice from a Planning Officer on simple homeowner projects. (Ref H2)	£118.82 + VAT (Total £142.59)
Householder - Duty Planner Standard follow up service - email correspondence only for review of revised drawings post initial advice. Get a brief written response to your revisions to your project following our initial feedback within 12 months of original request. (Ref H2A)	£59.41+ VAT (Total £71.23)
Local businesses - Written advice from a Planning Officer on simple small business planning projects. (Ref LE2)	£131.00 + VAT (Total £157.20)
Local Businesses - Duty Planner Standard follow up service - email correspondence only for review of revised drawings post initial advice. Get a brief written response to your revisions to your project following our initial feedback within 12 months of original request. (Ref L2A)	£65.50 + VAT (Total £78.60)
Advice on submitting complete planning applications, including which forms to use and if you have filled them in correctly	£56.51 + VAT (Total £67.81)
Householders - Get written advice after your decision on related conditions: Fee will depend on complexity of the question, but in most cases: questions about planning conditions and whether a proposed change is material attract the H1 fee questions about whether your proposed change would be acceptable attract the H2 or H3 (see Duty Planner Complex) fee depending on the complexity This service relates to questions about Non-material amendments and Minor Material Amendments (Ref H5)	(H1) £56.51 + VAT (Total £67.81) (H2/H3) £118.82 + VAT (Total £142.59)
Local businesses - Get written advice after your decision on related conditions: Fee will depend on complexity of the question, but in most cases: questions about planning conditions and whether a proposed change is material attract the L1 fee questions about whether your proposed change would be acceptable attract the L2 or L3 (see Duty Planner Complex) fee depending on the complexity This service relates to questions about Non-material amendments and Minor Material (Ref LE6)	(L1) £78.60 + VAT (Total £94.32) (L2/L3)£131.00 + VAT (Total £157.20)

How to request the Duty Planner Standard Service

you can email planning@lewisham.gov.uk with your enquiry, enclosing address of the site, any planning application reference that is relevant to your enquiry and other details and plans that would be helpful to the planning officer
or you could download and complete one of the forms below and email to planning@lewisham.gov.uk
please send us any sketches, photographs, and/or outline plans that you would like the planning officer to consider
we will contact you within five working days to take your payment over the phone
an officer will review your materials and will send you a brief written summary of the key points within five working days of receiving the payment of the fee

Duty Planner Standard booking form

Pdf, 326.9KB

Disclaimer

Any planning advice given by officers, either orally or in writing in the course of their duties, is offered in good faith and is based on the information/evidence provided. Advice is offered without the benefit of a site visit or the involvement of other consultees (not internal and external), neighbours or other interested parties. Such views are therefore the personal opinion of that officer and are not a formal decision of, nor are they binding, on the local planning authority. The local planning authority will only be bound where a formal application is submitted, and a formal decision is issued in writing.

Get in touch

Planning Department

Email:

planning@lewisham.gov.uk

Published on: 10/04/2026