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PlanningPathFree check
Free assessment · No card needed · England only

Do you need planning permission?
Find out in 5 minutes — free.

We'll tell you whether your extension, outbuilding, small works or energy upgrade is Permitted Development. Honest, policy-cited answer. No payment required to see your verdict. If you want to submit, the LDC Pack is £14.99, or the full Planning Pack is £79.99.

For straightforward householder works. Listed buildings, restrictive covenants, change-of-use and appeals need specialist advice — we'll tell you upfront if your situation falls outside our scope and point you at a chartered planning partner.

What are you planning?

Not sure? Start anyway →How it worksRunning multiple projects? →
  • Covers all UK councils
  • Cites the actual rules
  • Use it for your own project or someone else's

Sample report

Here's what you'll get — for free

Real, redacted example. A full assessment with every rule cited to the GPDO clause or local plan policy. No sign-up to see it.

ConfidenceHIGHPlanningPath · PP-2026-SAMPLE1

Your project is Permitted Development

Based on the answers you gave, no planning application is required.

Summary

The proposed 3.8m single-storey rear extension falls squarely within Class A of the GPDO. Height, depth, materials and boundary clearances all pass. No Article 4, listed-building or conservation-area restrictions apply.

Your property

Postcode
CO1 1••
Council
Colchester City Council
Region
East of England

Detailed assessment

7 checks
  • ✓

    Class A applies to this dwellinghouse

    GPDO Class A

    The property is a single dwellinghouse — not a flat or maisonette — so Class A permitted development rights are available.

  • ✓

    Rear extension depth within limits

    GPDO Class A.1(e)

    3.8m rear depth is within the 4m limit for a semi-detached house under Class A.1(e).

  • ✓

    Eaves height within 3m limit

    GPDO Class A.1(f)

    Eaves height of 2.6m is below the 3m limit that applies within 2m of a boundary under Class A.1(f).

  • ✓

    Overall height within 4m limit

    GPDO Class A.1(c)

    Overall height of 3.4m is within the 4m limit for single-storey rear extensions.

  • ✓

    Materials of similar appearance

    GPDO Class A.3(a)

    Matching brick and tile are of similar appearance to the existing dwellinghouse.

  • ✓

    No Article 4 direction at this address

    Local — Article 4 direction

    planning.data.gov.uk returned no Article 4 direction covering this property, so Class A rights are not withdrawn.

  • ✓

    Not in a conservation area

    Local — Conservation area

    This address is not within a designated conservation area; Class A restrictions on side extensions do not apply.

[ Project inputs · Disclaimer · LDC letter (paid) omitted ]

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Why you can trust the answer

Three things worth more than a testimonial.

We're new and we'd rather earn your trust on the work than on social proof we don't yet have. Here's how.

  1. Same rulebook

    Built on the rules a planning officer applies

    Every check is grounded in the GPDO, the NPPF, and your council's adopted local plan — not a blogger's summary or a consultant's opinion.

  2. Every answer cited

    Policy references on every verdict

    Each pass, fail and advisory in your report carries the clause it came from — so you can check our working, and so can your council.

  3. Skin in the game

    12-month refund if the council cites us

    If our letter is the reason an LDC is refused within 12 months, we refund the £14.99 and rewrite it free. Our money sits alongside yours.

How it works

From question to answer in five minutes

  1. 1

    Tell us about your project

    Answer 8–12 short questions about your project. Takes about five minutes.

  2. 2

    We check the rules

    Our engine cross-references the GPDO, your council's local plan, Article 4 directions and conservation designations.

  3. 3

    Get your report — instantly

    Receive an HTML report with full policy citations, a downloadable PDF, and an LDC letter if your project is Permitted Development.

What's in your free check

A real assessment, not a yes/no

We give you the same level of analysis a planning consultant would apply — for free. Pay only if you want the paperwork to submit.

  • Verdict

    Permitted Development, planning required, or edge case — with a confidence rating.

  • Real policy citations

    Every conclusion ties back to the specific GPDO clause or local plan policy.

  • Plain-English explanation

    Why each criterion passed, failed, or warrants a closer look.

  • Council & site flags

    Auto-detected conservation areas, Article 4, listed buildings, designated land.

Two service tracks

Permitted Development or full planning?

Both tracks start with a free assessment. Pay only when you want the paperwork to submit.

LDC Pack

Do I need planning permission?

Free instant assessment of whether your project is Permitted Development — extension, loft, outbuilding, solar panels, heat pump, fence and more. Full GPDO policy citations and a Lawful Development Certificate letter if PD applies.

£14.99· free verdict first
See LDC Pack

Planning Pack

I already need planning — help me submit

Full planning permission paperwork — Planning Statement, Design & Access Statement, Risk Read, submission guide and drawing spec. NPPF citations for every English council; local plan coverage for Colchester, Chelmsford, and Tendring. Heritage, listed-building, Article 4 and TPO sites referred to a specialist consultant. 12-month guarantee.

£79.99one-time
See Planning Pack

Who this is for

Built for the people doing the project, not the people selling it

Homeowners, self-builders and small trade pros arrive in one of two places. Whichever it is, the answer starts with five minutes of honest, policy-cited advice.

You're considering work

Before the drawings, before the deposit

You've got a shape in your head — single-storey rear, loft with dormer, detached garden office. You want an honest PD answer before the drawings, before the deposit, before the conversation with the council. Whether it's your own project or one you're scoping for a client.

You've already been refused or confused

When the advice doesn't add up

Neighbour says one thing, a blog says another, the council won't commit in writing. You've read three conflicting answers and still don't have a citation you can point at. We reset the problem — policy-cited, plain English, on the same page as you.

How we make money

The check is free. Pay if you want to submit.

Your assessment costs nothing — we'll show you whether your project is Permitted Development with full reasoning. If it is, and you want us to write the Lawful Development Certificate letter you'd send to your council along with the submission guide and drawing spec, that's the LDC Pack at £14.99.

If your project needs full planning permission instead, the Planning Pack at £79.99 covers the complete written half of the application — Planning Statement, Design & Access, Risk Read, and a Heritage Statement where it's needed.

12-month money-back guarantee on every paid pack — see your assessment page for details.

Running more than a handful of assessments a month? We're finalising a per-seat plan for builders, architects and self-builders managing a portfolio. Drop your email and we'll tell you first when it opens.

Start my free check

Pricing

Two packs. One price each.

The assessment is always free. If your verdict is Permitted Development, the LDC Pack is £14.99. If full planning permission is required, the Planning Pack is £79.99. That's it.

If your verdict is Permitted Development

LDC Pack

£14.99one-time

Everything you need to submit a Lawful Development Certificate application yourself.

  • LDC letter, council-formatted, full GPDO citations
  • Plain-English advice + submission guide
  • Drawing spec + post-submission playbook
  • 12-month refund guarantee
See LDC Pack

If planning permission is required

Planning Pack

£79.99one-time

The complete written half of a householder planning application — policy-cited and honestly argued.

  • Planning Statement + Design & Access + Risk Read
  • Submission guide, drawing spec, policy appendix
  • Heritage / listed / Article 4 / TPO sites referred to a specialist
  • 12-month refund guarantee
See Planning Pack

12-month refund guarantee on every paid pack — see your assessment page for full terms.

Not certified by any council. PlanningPath produces submission materials; the council decides.

Planning Track local-plan coverage: Colchester, Chelmsford, Tendring (verified). All other English councils: NPPF-only.

England only. Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland coverage is on the roadmap.

FAQ

Questions people ask

Is the check actually free?
Yes. The verdict, full reasoning, and policy citations cost nothing. We charge only if you want to submit — £14.99 for the LDC Pack if your project is Permitted Development, or £79.99 for the Planning Pack if full planning permission is needed.
What's in the LDC Pack?
£14.99. A council-ready Lawful Development Certificate letter cited to the exact GPDO clauses your project relies on, plain-English advice on what the LDC does and doesn't do, a Planning Portal submission guide, a drawing spec you can hand to a draughtsperson, and a post-submission playbook. 12-month refund guarantee included.
What's in the Planning Pack?
£79.99. The complete written half of a householder planning application: Planning Statement (policy-cited against NPPF and your local plan), Design & Access Statement, Risk Read of likely officer pushback, submission guide, drawing spec, post-submission playbook, and a full policy reference appendix. If your property is listed, in a conservation area, covered by an Article 4 Direction, or has a Tree Preservation Order we refer you to a specialist planning consultant instead — those projects need expert judgement we can't automate responsibly. 12-month refund guarantee included.
Is this legal advice?
No. We generate a professional planning assessment based on published UK policies. We're not a substitute for a solicitor, planning consultant, or formal pre-application advice from your council.
How accurate is it?
Our assessments follow the same GPDO rules and local plan policies that a planning officer applies. We cite every policy we reference. For edge cases we flag uncertainty rather than guess — and we recommend applying for a Lawful Development Certificate for formal confirmation.
Can I use this on behalf of clients?
Yes — builders, architects and self-builders use PlanningPath routinely to check feasibility before a job goes live. The LDC letter is written in the client's name, not ours; you can forward the report or submit on their behalf. If you're running more than a handful of assessments a month, a per-seat plan is on the way — join the waitlist on our pricing section.
Will councils accept the LDC letter?
Councils assess LDC applications on the facts, not on who writes the letter. Ours follows the standard format and references the specific GPDO clauses your project relies on. You submit it via the Planning Portal as normal.
What does the 12-month guarantee cover — and not cover?
PD Track: if your council refuses your LDC within 12 months and cites our letter as the reason, we refund 100% and rewrite for free. Subjective refusals (design, neighbour objections) are not covered, but we'll help with revisions. Planning Track: We guarantee a full refund plus a free rewrite if your council cites our Planning Statement or Design & Access Statement as a reason for refusal. Subjective refusal reasons (design merit, neighbour objections, amenity, conservation judgement, officer discretion) are outside our scope and not covered. Every policy we cite is sourced directly from your council's published Local Plan or the NPPF, verified within the last 90 days. Refunds will not be issued where the customer has materially misrepresented their project, works, or property details; where the project changed after our pack was delivered; or where the council decision references items we explicitly flagged as pending or unavailable at the time of delivery.
What happens if part of my pack is still being prepared?
We deliver your pack with the best-available data immediately — we don't make you wait on a single upstream data source. If a component (e.g. a title register lookup or a local-plan extract) wasn't available at delivery, we name it clearly in your pack and our system retries in the background. You'll receive a follow-up email: either 'all clear — everything in your pack still applies' or 'this data changed the picture — please review the updated section.'
How do I access my account and re-download my pack?
Visit planningpath.co.uk/account and enter the email address you used at checkout. We'll send a one-time sign-in link — no password needed. Your orders and downloadable packs are all there.
What does 'NPPF-only coverage' mean for the Planning Track?
The National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) sets national planning policy for England and applies to every English council. For most projects it's the primary reference. Local plans can add additional policies or stricter requirements. We have full local-plan coverage for Colchester, Chelmsford, and Tendring; for all other English councils we apply NPPF policies and flag where a local plan may add further constraints. We're expanding local-plan coverage regularly.
Do you cover my area?
We cover England today. The GPDO we apply (Town and Country Planning (General Permitted Development) (England) Order 2015, as amended) is England-specific — Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland each have their own equivalent orders with materially different thresholds. We're working to add those, but for now if you enter a Scottish / Welsh / NI postcode we'll invite you to join the waitlist so you're first in line when coverage lands.

"I'm Gordon. I built PlanningPath after watching too many friends and family get confused, refused, or left in the dark by the UK planning system. There's no shortage of opinion online — and very little straight-forward, policy-grounded answers. You deserve better. This is my attempt at that."