Pre-Application Advice Checker

How to use the Pre-Application Advice Checker

1. Describe your proposed works and the type of heritage designation.
2. Answer questions about the scale, visibility, and reversibility of the proposals.
3. Get a recommendation on whether pre-application advice is worthwhile.
4. If recommended, generate a structured pre-app request to send to the conservation officer.

Why use this tool

• Helps you decide whether pre-app advice is likely to be valuable for your specific project.
• Produces a well-structured pre-app enquiry that conservation officers can respond to efficiently.
• Can save weeks of delay by identifying issues before you submit a formal application.

Pre-application advice from the local planning authority's conservation officer can be invaluable for heritage projects. It gives you an early indication of whether your proposals are likely to be acceptable and highlights any issues you need to address in the formal application. However, pre-app advice is not always necessary — for genuinely minor works with no impact on character, it can add delay and cost without benefit. This checker helps you weigh up whether seeking pre-app advice is worthwhile for your specific project, and if so, helps you structure a clear enquiry that gives the conservation officer enough information to provide useful feedback.

Part of Builder Tools Utilities — construction tools for UK tradespeople.