Local Planning Authorities

The local planning authority is the council or other authority that deals with planning decisions for a property.

What the authority does

It receives planning and listed building consent applications, keeps local planning policies and maps, designates conservation areas and publishes local guidance.

It is also the best place to confirm whether an Article 4 direction, conservation area boundary or local planning condition affects a specific property.

It may not be the council you expect

In most places the local council is the planning authority. National parks and some other areas have a separate planning authority, so use an official lookup rather than guessing from the postal address.

What to include when asking

• The full property address.
• A short description of the planned work.
• Photographs or drawings if they help explain the proposal.
• The name or reference of any conservation area, Article 4 direction or listed building entry already found.

Official guidance

Use the GOV.UK guidance and local planning authority lookup.