Planning Feasibility Studies

Chartered Architectural Technologists | ARB Registered Architects

Test your proposal before committing to a full planning application.

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Expert Planning Feasibility Review

Concept Design & Options Testing

Pre-Application Advice Submission

What is a planning feasibility study?

A planning feasibility study is an early-stage assessment of whether a proposed development is likely to be supported by the council.

It is designed to help you understand the planning opportunities, constraints and risks before committing to a full planning application.

This can include reviewing the planning history, checking local policies, assessing the site context, preparing high-level concept proposals and identifying whether pre-application advice should be obtained from the council.

A feasibility study is particularly useful when there is more than one possible option, when the proposal is ambitious, or when the planning position is uncertain.

The aim is simple: to help you make a better decision before spending too much time and money on the wrong route.

Not sure if your project will get planning permission?

Some projects need careful planning advice before you invest in full drawings, reports and a formal planning application.

A planning feasibility study allows you to test what may be possible, understand the planning risks and decide whether the project is worth progressing before committing to the next stage.

At Detailed Planning, we help homeowners, landlords and property developers assess the likelihood of planning success. We prepare high-level concept proposals, review planning constraints and, where appropriate, submit a pre-application enquiry to the council for formal officer feedback.

This is often a sensible first step for higher-risk projects, unusual sites, new dwellings, flat conversions, larger extensions or proposals where the council’s likely position is unclear.

Our planning feasibility services

We provide planning feasibility studies and pre-application advice services for residential and commercial projects across London and surrounding areas.

Planning History Review

We review the publicly available planning history for the property or site to understand previous approvals, refusals, planning constraints and relevant council comments.

This can help identify whether the principle of development has already been tested and whether there are obvious risks before design work progresses.

Policy and Constraint Assessment

We review the key planning policies and constraints that may affect the proposal.

This can include matters such as character and appearance, neighbour impact, conservation areas, listed buildings, previous refusals, housing standards, amenity space, parking, access, outlook, privacy and local design guidance.

Concept Proposals

Where required, we prepare high-level concept drawings to test the broad idea.

These are not full detailed design drawings, but they help explain the scale, layout, massing and planning principle of the proposal.

They can be used to compare options, support a feasibility report or form part of a pre-application enquiry to the council.

Traffic Light Feasibility Report

We provide a clear traffic light assessment of the main planning issues.

This helps separate lower-risk items from medium and high-risk areas, so you can quickly understand where the proposal is strongest and where it may need further work.

Pre-application Submission

Where appropriate, we prepare and submit a pre-application enquiry to the council.

This normally includes concept drawings, a description of the proposal and supporting information to help the planning officer provide useful feedback.

Review of Council Advice

Once the council responds, we review the advice and explain what it means in practical terms.

We then provide recommendations on the next step, which may include progressing to a full planning application, amending the scheme, testing an alternative option or deciding not to proceed.

Projects That Benefit From a Planning Feasibility Study

A feasibility study is not needed for every project. For simple extensions or low-risk proposals, it may be more efficient to move straight into the normal design and planning stage.

However, a feasibility study is often useful for projects where the planning route is uncertain.

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Why Use Detailed Planning?

Feasibility work is about more than producing a quick sketch. It is about understanding the planning risk before too much money is committed.

Our planning-led approach helps you test the idea properly, identify the likely issues and decide whether the project is worth progressing.

Planning-led Advice

We consider planning policy, site constraints and previous decisions before recommending a route forward.

This helps avoid developing a design that has little chance of being supported.

Clear Concept Proposals

We prepare concept drawings that explain the broad idea clearly enough for discussion, feasibility assessment and pre-application advice.

These are high-level proposals designed to test the principle, not final detailed design drawings.

Honest Risk Assessment

We will not suggest pushing ahead simply because it creates more work.

If the proposal is high risk, we will explain why and advise whether it should be changed, tested with the council or paused.

Traffic Light Reporting

Our feasibility reports use a clear traffic light approach to help you understand the main planning issues quickly.

This makes it easier to see where the proposal is strong and where there may be policy concerns.

London and UK wide Experience

We regularly work with London boroughs as well as throughout the UK and understand how local policies, planning history and site constraints can affect residential proposals.

This is particularly useful for extensions, conversions, new dwellings and small development sites.

Lower Investment Before Full Commitment

A feasibility stage allows you to test the planning route before investing in full planning drawings, consultant reports and application costs.

This can be especially valuable for developers or homeowners considering higher-risk proposals.

When a feasibility study is worth considering

A feasibility study is most useful when you need to test the planning position before committing to a full application.

It may be worth considering if:

  • You want to create a new dwelling
  • You want to convert a property into flats
  • The site has a difficult planning history
  • The property is in a conservation area
  • The proposal is larger than neighbouring developments
  • There are likely to be neighbour impact concerns
  • The project may conflict with planning policy
  • You are considering more than one possible option
  • You want to understand the council’s likely view before spending more
  • You are a developer assessing whether a site is viable

The feasibility stage is intended to give early clarity. It does not guarantee approval, but it can help you avoid committing to a weak planning route too soon.

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Our Planning Feasibility Process

1. Initial Review and Brief

We start by reviewing your property, site or development opportunity.

This includes understanding what you want to achieve, what information is already available and whether the project is suitable for a feasibility or pre-application stage.

At this point, we can usually advise whether a feasibility study is worthwhile or whether another route may be more appropriate.

2. Site Assessment and Concept Proposals

Where required, we visit the site to understand the existing property, surrounding context, access, neighbouring buildings and any obvious constraints.

For some projects, we may carry out a light point cloud scan to pick up basic dimensions and assist with concept drawings.

We then prepare high-level concept proposals to test the broad design approach. These drawings are intended to support planning feasibility and pre-application advice, rather than provide a full internal design or detailed planning package.

3. Feasibility Report and Pre-application Submission

We review the planning history, relevant policies and key constraints, then prepare a clear feasibility report.

This will usually include a traffic light assessment of the main planning issues, highlighting lower-risk, medium-risk and higher-risk areas.

Where appropriate, we then prepare and submit a pre-application enquiry to the council, including the concept drawings and supporting information needed for the planning officer to review the proposal.

4. Council Feedback and Next Steps

Once the council provides its pre-application advice, we review the response and explain what it means.

We then advise on the next step. This may involve progressing to a full planning application, amending the design, reducing the scope, preparing further reports, testing an alternative option or deciding that the planning risk is too high.

The aim is to give you clear, practical advice before you commit to the next phase.

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What is pre-application advice?

Pre-application advice is a way of asking the council for early feedback before submitting a full planning application.

This can be useful where a proposal needs to be tested against local planning policy, site constraints, design considerations or previous planning decisions.

As part of our feasibility service, we can prepare the concept drawings and supporting information needed for a pre-application enquiry, submit the request to the council and review the officer’s response once received.

Pre-application advice does not guarantee planning permission, but it can provide a much clearer understanding of the council’s likely concerns before you proceed with a full application.

This can help improve the quality of the final proposal, reduce avoidable planning risk and identify whether the design needs to change before a formal submission.

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Not sure if your proposal is realistic?

If you are considering a new dwelling, flat conversion, larger extension or higher-risk planning proposal, we can help you test the position before you commit to a full application.

Send us the address, a short description of the proposal and any drawings or estate agent plans you already have. We will review the project and advise whether a feasibility study is the right next step.

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FAQs

How long does a planning feasibility study take?

The timescale depends on the complexity of the project and whether a site visit, concept drawings and pre-application submission are required.

For a straightforward feasibility review with concept proposals, we can usually confirm the likely preparation timescale following your enquiry.

If pre-application advice is submitted to the council, the council response period is commonly around 8 weeks, although this varies between local authorities and can take longer depending on workload and the type of enquiry.

How much does a planning feasibility study cost?

Our fee depends on the project type, site complexity, level of concept design required and whether pre-application advice is included.

We will confirm our fee following your enquiry once we understand the property, proposal and likely scope of work.

If a pre-application enquiry is submitted to the council, the council will usually charge a separate fee. This varies by council and project type.

What is provided as part of the feasibility stage?

The scope can vary depending on the project, but it may include:

  • Initial review of the site and project brief
  • Background planning history checks using publicly available information
  • High-level planning policy review
  • Site visit, where required
  • Light point cloud scan to pick up basic dimensions, where needed
  • Concept proposals
  • Traffic light feasibility report
  • Preparation of pre-application documents
  • Submission of a pre-application enquiry to the council
  • Review of the council’s pre-application advice
  • Recommendations on the next stage

The feasibility stage is not usually a full design stage, full planning package or detailed internal layout exercise. It is intended to test the planning principle and identify the likely risks before progressing further.

What if the council’s pre-application advice is negative?

If the advice is negative, we will review the reasons and explain what they mean.

In some cases, the design can be amended to address the council’s concerns. In other cases, it may be better to test a reduced scheme, explore a different planning route or decide not to proceed.

Negative advice is not always a bad outcome. It can save you from spending more money on a full planning application that may have had a low chance of success.

Do I have to obtain pre-application advice?

No. Pre-application advice is not compulsory.

For simple or low-risk projects, it may be more efficient to move straight into the planning application stage.

However, for higher-risk proposals, pre-application advice can be very useful. It gives you an opportunity to understand the council’s likely concerns before committing to a full application and supporting reports.

Does pre-application advice guarantee planning permission?

No. Pre-application advice does not guarantee that planning permission will be granted.

The final decision is made through the formal planning application process, and the council may take account of consultation responses, detailed drawings, supporting reports and any policy changes.

However, pre-application advice can still be valuable because it helps identify the main planning issues early and may guide the design before submission.

Is a feasibility study suitable for property developers?

Yes. Feasibility studies are often useful for developers assessing whether a site is worth pursuing.

This may include small residential development sites, conversions, backland plots, redundant garages, mixed-use buildings or properties with intensification potential.

The feasibility stage can help test the planning opportunity before committing to purchase costs, full consultant reports and detailed planning drawings.

Is a feasibility study suitable for homeowners?

Yes, particularly where the proposal is unusual, ambitious or potentially sensitive.

For example, a homeowner may benefit from a feasibility study if they are considering a large extension, a new dwelling in the garden, a loft or roof alteration in a conservation area, or a proposal that may be difficult for neighbours or the council to support.

Will you look at multiple options?

Yes, at a high level.

The feasibility stage can consider more than one broad option, especially where there are different ways to approach the site.

However, this is not the same as a full design development stage with multiple rounds of detailed layout revisions. The aim is to test the planning principle and identify the most sensible direction before moving into the next phase.

What happens after a positive feasibility study?

If the feasibility study or pre-application advice is positive, the next stage is usually to develop the design in more detail and prepare a full planning application.

This may involve measured survey drawings, detailed proposed drawings, a design and access statement, planning statement, heritage statement, transport input, ecology advice, daylight/sunlight assessment or other consultant reports depending on the project.

We will advise what is likely to be needed before progressing.

Will you tell me if the proposal is unlikely to succeed?

Yes. Honest advice is one of the main reasons to carry out a feasibility study.

If the proposal appears too risky, conflicts with planning policy or is unlikely to be supported, we will explain the issues clearly.

It is better to know this early than to spend money on a full planning application with limited prospects.

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