LDC Express

Step 1 of 9

Is your project already built, or planned?

This decides whether you need a Section 192 (proposed) or Section 191 (retrospective) Lawful Development Certificate.

A few yes/no checks

These determine whether your property sits inside permitted-development territory. If any answer puts you outside our launch coverage, we'll let you know — no fee.

Is the property in England?
Is the property a house (not a flat or maisonette)?
Is the property listed?
Is the property in a conservation area, National Park, AONB, World Heritage Site, or the Broads?
Is the property in an Article 4 Direction area that removes permitted development rights for your type of project?
Was your house created under an office-to-residential or shop-to-residential prior-approval (Class M, N, P or Q)?
Your property address

We'll use this to pre-validate and to tell the council which property the certificate covers.

Which type of project is it?

Pick the one that matches the work on your drawings.

Not sure which class? If the conveyancer's letter just says "LDC" — pick the closest match or "Something else" and we'll sort it from your description.
We'll let you know when we open up

We only certify Classes A, B and E at launch — those are the ones where we have the deepest case law and can guarantee our work. We're adding more classes as we go. Leave your details and we'll email you the moment yours is covered.

Rear / side extension details

All measurements in metres. Where a cap applies, we'll flag immediately if your project sits outside it.

Is any part of the extension within 2m of a property boundary?

Don't know? Open Google Maps, right-click your property, and use "Measure distance" to trace your plot boundary.

Show me how
  1. Open Google Maps and zoom in on your property in satellite view.
  2. Right-click any corner of your plot boundary, then choose Measure distance.
  3. Click each corner in turn to trace the full boundary of your land.
  4. Click back on your starting corner to close the shape — Maps shows the total area in m².

We pool this against the 50% curtilage cap — Class A and Class E share the same limit.

Does the extension sit forward of the front of the house, or forward of any side that fronts a road?
Is this a side extension?
Is the extension more than one storey?
Will exterior materials match the existing house (colour, brick, render, roof)?
Loft conversion / roof alteration details
Does any part of the enlargement exceed the highest point of the existing roof?
Is the proposed dormer on the roof slope that forms the front of the house AND faces a road?
Will the dormer's lowest edge be at least 0.2m above the eaves (or is the work hip-to-gable with no dormer)?
Is the project a combination of hip-to-gable + crown roof + new dormer + chimney removal?
Outbuilding details
Will it contain a full kitchen (hob + oven + sink beyond a handwash)?
Will it contain a shower or bathtub?
Will it contain a bedroom or sleeping accommodation?
Will it contain a WC only (no shower, no bath)?
Is any part of the outbuilding within 2m of a boundary?
Will it sit forward of the front of the house?

Don't know? Open Google Maps, right-click your property, and use "Measure distance" to trace your plot boundary.

Show me how
  1. Open Google Maps and zoom in on your property in satellite view.
  2. Right-click any corner of your plot boundary, then choose Measure distance.
  3. Click each corner in turn to trace the full boundary of your land.
  4. Click back on your starting corner to close the shape — Maps shows the total area in m².
Is the land clearly part of the domestic garden (not a paddock, field or adjacent parcel)?
Will it have a verandah, balcony, or raised platform higher than 0.3m?
When was it built, and what evidence do you have?

For a retrospective certificate we need to show continuous use for at least 4 years (for dwellings / extensions) or 10 years (for a change of use). Simon will walk through your evidence before we submit.

Since it was built, has anyone from the council contacted you about it (enforcement notice, warning letter, visit)?
Photographs

We need at least 6 photos to submit your application. You'll upload them after payment from your customer dashboard — just confirm you can take them now.

Can you photograph: front elevation from the street, rear elevation, both sides, curtilage showing existing outbuildings, and boundary fences?
How do we reach you?

Asking now so we can save your progress and pick up where you left off if you come back. You won't be charged anything yet.

Check your answers

Choose your service level

LDC Express service fee£349
Council filing fee (pass-through)£264
Total£613

If the council refuses, we refund our £349 fee in full. The £264 council fee is paid at filing and isn't recoverable from us.

Once filed, the council has up to 8 statutory weeks to decide. That's their clock — we can't influence it. What we control (drafting, filing, chasing) we move fast on.