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Southwark Council's new online planning services go live

8 August 2022

New services on Southwark Council's website make it easier to know when and how to apply for planning permission.

Under the current system, applicants have to look up planning rules from several sources. This can be confusing and take a lot of time. It is not always clear what information you need, and this changes depending on what you want to develop and your location. As a result, up to 50 per cent of planning applications are 'invalid' or missing key information. A small, easy mistake can cause a big delay and additional costs.

The planning system is being transformed by a group of pioneering local councils. Southwark, Lambeth and Buckinghamshire are at the centre of the project. They have worked together to develop services that save users time and money.

Cllr James McAsh, Cabinet Member for Climate Emergency & Sustainable Development, said: “Southwark is proud to be at the forefront of digital planning. The current system is far too complex, with no clear structure. It is unfair to expect applicants and planning officers to navigate such an outdated process.

“Our new services bring planning into the 21st century. Now residents don't need to be experts in planning to make improvements to their homes. They can make simple applications without lengthy forms or long delays. Council officers can rely on accurate data and streamlined processes. Everyone wins when we make our services digital with users' needs in mind."

Find out if you need planning permission

Find out if you need planning permission by using the council’s free online service. Enter the address and details about the works you want to carry out. The service will tell you if you need planning permission for your development, and provide guidance on what to do next.

For more information, visit www.southwark.gov.uk/do-I-need-planning-permission

 Apply for a Lawful Development Certificate

You can now apply for a Lawful Development Certificate online via the council’s website. Apply for this certificate if you want evidence that:

  • the existing use of a building is lawful for planning purposes
  • you do not need planning permission for your project because it is Permitted Development

The service is free to use but planning applications fees apply. Key features include the ability to:

  • draw your site boundary line on a digital map
  • view planning constraints on your site
  • easily find and read relevant legislation
  • only answer questions relevant to your project
  • see the correct application fee at the end of the process 

In the future, the council will expand the service to also accept householder planning applications.

For more information, visit www.southwark.gov.uk/lawful-development-certificate

Back-office planning system

This new system will help speed up how applications are assessed by the planning team. It has been designed around the needs of planning officers, so they can work more efficiently.

The planning team will be using the new service to process some Lawful Development Certificates. If you apply for a Lawful Development Certificate on the council’s website, then you might receive notifications from the new back-office planning system.

The new online services are funded by the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities’ Local Digital Fund.

Page last updated: 08 August 2022

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