Certificates of lawfulness (lawful development certificates)
What is a certificate of lawfulness? A certificate of lawfulness (also known as a Lawful Development Certificate or LDC) is a legal document issued by a council confirming that something is lawful for planning purposes. It does not grant planning permission. Instead, it confirms that planning permission is not required. Once issued, a certificate is […]
Where is it hardest to get planning permission in England?
Planning permission is not granted evenly across the country. Some councils approve the vast majority of applications put before them, while others take a much more restrictive approach, refusing a significantly higher proportion of proposals. London stands out in particular. Boroughs in the capital consistently appear towards the lower end of national approval-rate tables, with […]
Refused planning permission for a single-storey rear extension in Redbridge?
Refused planning permission for a single-storey rear extension in Redbridge? Redbridge Council is particularly quite to refuse planning permission (or prior approval) for single-storey rear extensions, especially for those that project deeper into the garden than case officers would like, or are close to neighbouring boundaries. Many homeowners are told that a rear extension would […]
Mansard roof extensions and planning appeals
What is a mansard roof extension? A mansard roof extension is a form of roof alteration that replaces or reshapes the existing roof with a near-vertical rear slope and a flat roof. It is designed to maximise usable internal space at roof level and is most commonly proposed on terraced and semi-detached houses in urban […]
Planning enforcement in Waltham Forest
Planning enforcement is one of the more stressful parts of the planning system. People often assume that enforcement action means something has gone badly wrong, or that they are about to be forced to undo work immediately. In reality, the enforcement team in Waltham Forest is not out to get its residents and outcomes depend […]
Is it worth appealing a planning refusal in Waltham Forest?
Things are improving at Waltham Forest Council. About 10 years ago, it had a reputation for being very negative towards planning applications and very quick to refuse permission – about a third of applications were refused, sometimes on very weak grounds. In recent years, the council has become more open to development. Its new Local […]
Planning enforcement in Hillingdon
Planning enforcement is very stressful. Having spent your life savings on a new extension or some other development, the last thing you want is to get a letter from the council’s planning enforcement team requiring that it be pulled down. It doesn’t help that communications from planning enforcement tend to be formal and intimidating. Some […]
Is it worth appealing a refused planning application in Hillingdon?
Not all planning decisions are fair and you should never just accept refusal of planning permission. Sometimes the council is right and your application deserved to be refused, but often the council has got it wrong and the decision can be challenged. London Borough of Hillingdon fought 114 appeals in 2025 and lost about 36% […]
Why planning applications for extensions are often refused in Hillingdon
Homeowners in Hillingdon are often taken by surprise when their application for an extension is suddenly refused. They thought their proposal to be small in size and similar to other extensions along the street, and had confidently assumed it would sail through. Yet refusals are common. This is not always because an extension is unacceptable […]
We won three planning appeals in Croydon in the last two weeks
Just Planning is an appeal specialist and submits planning appeals all over England and Wales. In recent months, however, we have been especially busy in the London Borough of Croydon, which seems to be refusing more applications and making some questionable decisions. We won an appeal for a client on Ambleside Gardens who had applied […]