Prior Approval in
Crawley
A full planning application isn’t always the fastest way to get building work started in Crawley. Prior approval covers a specific set of projects, larger extensions, certain change of use conversions, demolition, with the council legally required to decide within a set number of days rather than the usual open-ended timeline.
Get StartedThe Statutory Deadline Explained For Crawley
Prior approval covers several genuinely distinct project types in Crawley, each with its own specific conditions. A larger single-storey rear extension, beyond what standard permitted development allows, typically gets a 42-day decision. Converting a commercial building to residential use under Class MA follows the same fast track. Agricultural buildings converting to residential under Class Q, demolition of a building, and larger extensions to industrial or warehouse buildings all use this route too, some with a 56-day deadline instead.
What makes prior approval different from a standard Crawley application isn’t just speed, it’s scope. The council can only assess specific, defined matters set out in the relevant legislation, not the full range of planning considerations a normal application invites.
We confirm which category your Crawley project genuinely falls under before preparing anything, since submitting the wrong type of application wastes both time and the fee involved.
Right Route Confirmed
We check prior approval genuinely applies
Statutory Timescale
42 or 56 days, by law
Focused Submission
Built around what’s actually assessed
Fast Turnaround
Applications moved along quickly
How We Help in Crawley
Crawley projects get checked properly against the specific legal conditions for whichever category applies, larger extension, Class MA, Class Q, demolition, or industrial extension.
Once eligibility’s confirmed, the submission gets built around exactly what Crawley’s planning team can genuinely consider under this route, keeping things moving toward that statutory deadline.
Crawley’s planning team works to a strict timescale on prior approval, so we stay engaged throughout to make sure nothing slips through unanswered.
Why Crawley Projects Get The Classification Checked First
Every Crawley project gets weighed against the actual legal conditions for prior approval, never assumed just because it sounds like it might qualify.
Prior approval’s speed only helps if the submission’s actually right the first time, so we focus on getting the Crawley classification and conditions correct upfront.
Prior approval genuinely doesn’t fit every Crawley project, and we’d rather steer you toward the right route from the start than force a poor fit.
Not sure whether your project needs house extension planning permission instead? We check that too, before recommending prior approval as the route.
Get Your Prior Approval Submission Started
Prior Approval FAQs for Crawley
Which categories does prior approval cover in Crawley?
Larger single-storey rear extensions beyond standard permitted development limits, office or commercial to residential conversion under Class MA, agricultural to residential conversion under Class Q, demolition, and larger extensions to industrial or warehouse buildings all use this route in Crawley.
How long does a prior approval decision take in Crawley?
Typically 42 days for larger extensions, or 56 days for several of the other categories, a legal deadline that applies once Crawley’s council has a valid submission in hand.
Can Crawley’s council refuse prior approval for any reason they like?
The scope is genuinely limited, Crawley’s council assesses only the specific defined matters for that prior approval category, unlike a full application’s broader planning assessment.
What happens if my Crawley project doesn’t actually qualify for prior approval?
Yes, if your Crawley project doesn’t meet prior approval conditions, we simply prepare it as a standard planning application instead, the route changes but the project can usually still proceed.
How does Class MA relate to change of use for Crawley properties?
Yes, Class MA is genuinely a change of use route, covering Class E commercial buildings converting to residential in Crawley, worth reading alongside our change of use planning permission.
Is checking eligibility for prior approval free in Crawley?
There’s no charge for the initial Crawley eligibility check, you’ll know exactly which route applies before committing to anything further.