Useful contacts

Frequently asked questions

Planning Committee

Design and access statements

Smoking shelters

Planning permission

Applying for planning permission
Listed buildings 
Consultation on planning applications 
How to comment on a planning application
Outline planning permission
When planning permission is not required
Trees on your property
Forms, guidance and checklists

Planning permission and your home
There are many types of alterations and additions to houses that do not require planning permission. Advice on whether you need planning permission can be found under the frequently asked questions.

Applying for planning permission: 
Planning application forms are available to download or in hardcopy from our customer services reception.

For an application to be valid and processed by the local authority, applicants will have to submit a range of information known as Planning Application Requirements, with their form. By providing this information at the time of submission it should help reduce delays in processing applications.

Local Planning Application Requirements supplement the national requirements set out in the guidance.  Different requirements are listed for all the application types included in the national standard planning application forms.

For the first time, if you need to apply for two consent types, e.g. planning permission and listed building consent, combined forms are available which include the questions for both application types. If you use one of these combined forms, even though you only have to complete one form, it will be treated as two applications and you will be advised of two application numbers, one for each type of consent.

Please make sure you have checked our validation checklist before submitting your application.  If you do not send all the information we need your application will be deemed invalid.

Please use the interactive houseguide (via the Planning Portal website)to check if planning permission is required.

Submit your application online
Ealing Council works in partnership with the Planning Portal. If you are thinking of applying for planning permission for any development we recommend you submit your planning application to us electronically through the Planning Portal.

The Planning Portal website allows you to complete an online application form, buy site location plans, attach drawings and make your application electronically.

Planning applications have to be made on the correct forms and you need to certify whether you are the sole owner of the property. If not you will have to serve a statement of ownership form to inform the other owners that you are making the application. In most cases a planning planning fee (pdf) is required. Check planning fees via the Planning Portal.

You may also be required to submit a design and access statement.

All applications must include a location plan which clearly identifies the site. It must show the property with at least two adjoining properties and bordering roads. An ordnance survey map is satisfactory for this purpose.

An acknowledgement letter will be sent giving the telephone number of the relevant team dealing with the application. It should state a target date by which we hope to make a decision. If you appoint an agent to act on your behalf all correspondence will be sent to them.

Listed buildings
If your property is a listed building you will require permission to carry out works including partial or full demolition, internal alterations and changes to boundary fences or walls. Find out if your property is listed. 

Consultation on planning applications and how to comment
This Statement of Community Involvement (pdf, large file, 5.36MB) is a statutory document that provides information on how members of the public and interested organisations can be involved in decisions on planning policy and planning applications. It was adopted in June 2006.

You can write to the planning services team. You can comment on an application even if you haven't been formally consulted. We must receive your written comments within 21 days of the start of the consultation period. If the planning application needs to be considered by the planning committee, and you have submitted comments, you will be informed when the meeting will take place.

You can also submit your comment online via the public access portal. Please note: This service is not available from 11:30pm - 1:00am daily.  You can still comment by email to planning@ealing.gov.uk or alternatively in writing.

Comments taken into consideration during a consultation
Planning services can only consider planning-related comments:

Outline planning permission
Outline planning permission may be made for some development proposals (excluding changes of use).

Where outline planning permission is granted, approval may be sought for any of the following matters:

Those matters not included at the application stage may be reserved for later consideration.

When planning permission is not required:
Planning permission is not always required for particular building works or uses of land/buildings. You can apply for a  development certificate if you need formal confirmation that a development is lawful.

Trees on your property
You may be protected under planning law by a tree preservation order, a planning condition or by your property being within a conservation area. The council's permission is required before any works like pruning, removal or disruption to the roots can be carried out.

Party wall agreements

In order to avoid delays and/or possible legal action from the adjoining owners it is strongly recommended that you follow the provisions within the Party Wall Act 1996, prior to commencement of any building work affecting the party walls. You can find the Party Wall explanatory booklet on the Communities and Local Government website.

Application forms, guidance and checklists

Householder applications
Use these forms to apply for planning permission to houses only. This includes extensions, loft conversions, new or altered access, paving of front gardens, outbuildings and garden fences or walls.

Full planning permission applications
Full planning permission to all other properties including flats. This covers extensions, outbuildings, loft conversions, paving of front gardens/garden fences/walls and new/altered access.

Outline permission applications
The government has made changes to the list of reserved matters and the minimum level of detail that must be submitted at outline application stage.

Reserved matters and removal or variation of condition applications

Conservation area consent (only), Listed building consent (only and plus advertisement consent) 

Works to trees

Advertisement consent only
Under the town and country planning (control of advertisements) regulations 1992, many outdoor advertisements require consent before they can be lawfully displayed.

Lawful development certificate applications

Prior notification applications

Approval of details applications

Hard copies of the forms are available from Ealing Customer Services, customer service centre, Perceval House, 14-16 Uxbridge Road, Ealing W5 2HL or telephone (020) 8825 6600, email: planning@ealing.gov.uk.