Prior Approval in
Dartford
Not every Dartford project needs a full planning application, and not every project qualifies for permitted development either. Prior approval sits in between, a faster route with real legal deadlines, for specific categories like larger rear extensions and certain building conversions.
Get StartedWhat Prior Approval Actually Covers In Dartford
Prior approval covers several genuinely distinct project types in Dartford, 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 Dartford 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 Dartford 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 Dartford
Every Dartford project starts with confirming which prior approval category genuinely applies, and whether the specific conditions attached to that category are actually met.
From there we prepare a focused submission covering exactly what the council’s entitled to assess, nothing padded out with irrelevant detail that slows things down.
Dartford’s planning team works to a strict timescale on prior approval, so we stay engaged throughout to make sure nothing slips through unanswered.
The Careful Approach To Dartford Prior Approval
We’d rather confirm honestly that your Dartford project doesn’t qualify for prior approval than submit something destined to fail on a technicality.
Prior approval’s speed only helps if the submission’s actually right the first time, so we focus on getting the Dartford classification and conditions correct upfront.
Prior approval genuinely doesn’t fit every Dartford 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 Dartford
What projects actually qualify for prior approval in Dartford?
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 Dartford.
How long does a prior approval decision take in Dartford?
Typically 42 days for larger extensions, or 56 days for several of the other categories, a legal deadline that applies once Dartford’s council has a valid submission in hand.
What can the council actually assess under prior approval in Dartford?
The scope is genuinely limited, Dartford’s council assesses only the specific defined matters for that prior approval category, unlike a full application’s broader planning assessment.
Can I still get planning permission if prior approval isn’t right for my project?
Absolutely, prior approval not fitting your specific Dartford project doesn’t mean the project itself can’t happen, it just means a standard application is the right route.
How does Class MA relate to change of use for Dartford properties?
Class MA is specifically about change of use for Dartford properties, converting shops, offices, and similar commercial space to residential, a category we also cover in more depth on our change of use planning permission.
Is checking eligibility for prior approval free in Dartford?
Yes, confirming whether your Dartford project genuinely qualifies costs nothing, that comes before any discussion of fees for preparing the actual submission.