PLANNING CONSULTANTS · BARKING AND DAGENHAM
Planning consultants in Barking and Dagenham
We prepare and coordinate the planning case and specialist reports for sites in Barking and Dagenham covering Barking, Dagenham, Becontree, Chadwell Heath, Rush Green and Marks Gate. This page sets out what London Borough of Barking and Dagenham asks for when you apply, with links to the council's own documents.
THE COUNCIL'S DOCUMENTS
What Barking and Dagenham
judges you against.
Validation list. Validation Checklist: Application for Full Planning Permission and Major Development within the London Borough of Barking and Dagenham (2024-05-02). An application missing a required document can be made invalid, which delays the decision.
Development plan. Barking and Dagenham Local Plan 2037 (adopted, 2024); The London Plan 2021 (adopted, 2021).
National policy. The National Planning Policy Framework and, for every London council, the London Plan 2021 sit alongside the local plan.
LOCAL PLANNING POINTS
Things that shape applications in Barking and Dagenham.
Checked against the council's published policy and guidance. Each point links to its source.
- Single-storey rear extensions to terraced and semi-detached houses should not normally be more than 3.65m deep from the original rear wall (Residential Extensions and Alterations SPD, 2012). The guidance is old, so how much weight it now carries should be checked case by case. Source
- An Article 4 direction covering the whole borough has required planning permission to convert a house into a small HMO since 14 May 2012. Source
- Since 22 February 2022, an Article 4 direction has removed permitted development rights for adding storeys to houses and commercial buildings across the whole borough except designated industrial land. Source
- Article 4 directions removing permitted development rights for porches across the Becontree Estate, and for side and roof alterations on its corner blocks, were approved by Cabinet in November 2025 with introduction planned for November 2026; check whether they are in force. Source
- There are four conservation areas: Abbey and Barking Town Centre, Abbey Road Riverside, Chadwell Heath Anti-aircraft Gun Site and Dagenham Village. Source
- A selective licensing scheme covering three designated areas of the borough runs from 6 April 2025 to 5 April 2030. Source
- Article 4 direction: Houses in multiple occupation. Changing a family house (C3) into a small house in multiple occupation (C4) needs planning permission, across the whole borough. Source
- 4 further Article 4 directions apply to particular areas or conservation areas. Council list
REPORTS BARKING AND DAGENHAM ASKS FOR
Barking and Dagenham's validation list, report by report.
Which of these your application needs depends on the project and the site. In Barking and Dagenham, extra reports are triggered most often by a conservation area, tall buildings, a listed building, near a listed building, air quality management areas, close neighbours. Enter the address in our application checker to see the list for your site.
| Report | Level | When it is needed | Policy |
|---|---|---|---|
| Access Statement | Required | Required for new houses and flats, mixed use, change of use to residential and residential conversions.Applies to: one new home, 2 to 9 homes, major schemes, changes of use | Source |
| Affordable Housing Statement | Required | Required for schemes of 10 or more homes, or smaller schemes on sites capable of accommodating 10 homes; must set out tenure, mix and unit sizes.Applies to: major schemes, 2 to 9 homes | Source |
| Tree Survey / Arboricultural Implications | Required | Required where TPO trees, conservation area trees or other trees on or next to the site (including street trees) could be affected.Applies to: all applications | Source |
| Biodiversity Net Gain Report | Required | Non-exempt development must show 10% BNG using the statutory metric prepared by an independent ecologist; majors also need a draft gain plan and monitoring plan, and exempt schemes need an exemption statement.Applies to: one new home, 2 to 9 homes, major schemes, changes of use, commercial, basements | Environment Act 2021 |
| Children and Young People's Play and Informal Recreation Strategy | Required | All major housing schemes must show play and open space provision using the GLA play space calculator.Applies to: major schemes | Source |
| Crime Impact Statement | Required | Major development, especially large housing schemes, must show how Secured by Design principles are applied.Applies to: major schemes | Source |
| Design and Access Statement (heritage) | Required | Householder-scale works also need a DAS where they are in, or affect the setting of, a conservation area or listed building.Applies to: house extensions | Source |
| Draft Heads of Terms | Required | Required for all majors and wherever a legal agreement is needed.Applies to: major schemes | Source |
| Habitat Survey and Report (Phase 1) | Required | All major development needs a pre-submission Phase 1 habitat survey report by a qualified ecologist, even if nothing protected is found.Applies to: major schemes | Source |
| Energy and Sustainability Assessment (incl. whole life-cycle carbon) | Required | All major development must provide an energy and sustainability assessment with a whole life-cycle carbon calculation, plus BREEAM pre-assessment for qualifying commercial floorspace.Applies to: major schemes | London Plan |
| Flood Risk Assessment | Required | Required for all proposals in Flood Zones 2 and 3, with a sequential test where appropriate.Applies to: all applications | Source |
| Flood Risk Assessment (large sites) | Required | Required for all sites of 1 hectare or more even in Flood Zone 1.Applies to: all applications | Source |
| Green Belt Assessment | Required | Any Green Belt development involving external alterations must include a Green Belt assessment.Applies to: all applications | Source |
| Health Impact Assessment | Required | Major residential and mixed-use schemes must include an HIA.Applies to: major schemes | Source |
| Heritage Statement | Required | Needed where works affect a conservation area, listed or locally listed building, archaeological site, scheduled monument or other heritage asset, or their settings.Applies to: all applications | Source |
| Overheating Assessment | Required | Major development containing homes must show passive and other measures to control overheating.Applies to: major schemes | Source |
| Fire Safety / Prevention Measures statement | Required | Major applications and tall buildings need a fire statement by a qualified person in line with the London Plan.Applies to: major schemes | London Plan D12 |
| Fire Safety / Prevention Measures statement (tall buildings) | Required | Any tall building proposal requires a qualified fire safety statement.Applies to: all applications | London Plan D12 |
| Planning Statement | Required | Required for all major development and for any proposal that departs from the development plan.Applies to: major schemes | Source |
| Site Waste Management Plan | Required | Required for all major applications.Applies to: major schemes | Source |
| Statement of Community Involvement | Required | Major and large-scale schemes must evidence pre-submission engagement.Applies to: major schemes | Source |
| Sustainable Drainage Strategy and SuDS Proforma | Required | All major applications need a SuDS strategy and proforma.Applies to: major schemes | Source |
| Urban Greening Factor evaluation | Required | All major development must calculate its Urban Greening Factor score.Applies to: major schemes | London Plan G5 |
| Whole life-cycle carbon assessment | Required | Major schemes must calculate whole life-cycle carbon emissions using a recognised assessment as part of the energy submission.Applies to: major schemes | London Plan |
| Air Quality Assessment | Where relevant | Needed where a scheme is likely to affect air quality or introduce users to poor air quality; the whole borough is an AQMA.Applies to: one new home, 2 to 9 homes, major schemes, changes of use, commercial, basements | Source |
| Community Facility Need Statement | Where relevant | Required for new, extended, replaced or lost community facilities (C2, F1, F2), showing need or surplus and marketing.Applies to: changes of use, commercial, major schemes | Source |
| Construction Environmental Management Plan (draft) | Where relevant | Asked for on major schemes with significant construction impacts and on minor schemes in sensitive locations.Applies to: major schemes, 2 to 9 homes, one new home, commercial, basements | Source |
| Construction Logistics Plan (draft) | Where relevant | Asked for on major schemes generating significant construction traffic, and possibly on minor schemes in sensitive locations.Applies to: major schemes, 2 to 9 homes, one new home, commercial, basements | Source |
| Land Contamination Assessment | Where relevant | Required for development on brownfield land or where contamination is known or suspected.Applies to: one new home, 2 to 9 homes, major schemes, changes of use, commercial, basements | Source |
| Daylight/Sunlight Assessment | Where relevant | Needed where neighbours' light could be harmed, and for all majors to show internal light levels; to follow BRE 2022 guidance.Applies to: all applications | Source |
| Delivery and Servicing Plan | Where relevant | Needed for schemes with regular goods or commercial vehicle activity, or in sensitive residential/mixed-use locations.Applies to: major schemes, commercial, 2 to 9 homes | Source |
| Design and Access Statement | Where relevant | Needed for major development, and for any development in a conservation area or affecting the setting of a conservation area or listed building.Applies to: one new home, 2 to 9 homes, major schemes, commercial, basements, changes of use | Source |
| Economic Statement | Where relevant | Required for new employment development, including change of use, creating over 5,000 m2.Applies to: commercial, major schemes, changes of use | Source |
| Viability Assessment | Where relevant | Must be submitted upfront wherever a policy requirement (including affordable housing and tenure mix) is reduced on viability grounds; submissions are published.Applies to: major schemes, 2 to 9 homes, commercial | Source |
| Lighting Assessment | Where relevant | Required where external lighting is proposed or would be needed.Applies to: one new home, 2 to 9 homes, major schemes, changes of use, commercial, basements | Source |
| Noise Assessment | Where relevant | Needed where a scheme may disturb occupiers, places noise-sensitive uses near noise sources, or adds noisy plant; plant should be 10 dBA below background, assessed to BS 4142.Applies to: all applications | Source |
| Odour Assessment | Where relevant | Required for majors or sensitive uses near an odour source, or where the use may create off-site odour.Applies to: major schemes, commercial, changes of use | Source |
| Sustainable Drainage Strategy (minor) | Where relevant | Minor applications need a SuDS strategy where they would worsen surface water or sit in a critical drainage area.Applies to: one new home, 2 to 9 homes, commercial, changes of use, basements | Source |
| Visual Impact Assessment | Where relevant | Asked for where a proposal, such as a tall building, may cause adverse visual effects.Applies to: major schemes, commercial | Source |
| Transport Assessment / Transport Statement | Where relevant | Needed where a scheme has significant transport implications, scaled according to DfT thresholds and TfL guidance.Applies to: major schemes, 2 to 9 homes, commercial, changes of use | Source |
| Travel Plan | Where relevant | Needed where transport impacts are significant and TfL travel plan thresholds are exceeded.Applies to: major schemes, commercial | Source |
| Ventilation/Extraction Statement | Where relevant | Required for restaurants/cafes, B2 and certain sui generis uses (e.g. takeaways, pubs) and any use with substantial extraction equipment.Applies to: commercial, changes of use | Source |
| Wind and Microclimate Study | Where relevant | Required for large schemes or any proposal including a tall building.Applies to: major schemes | Source |
OUR SERVICES IN BARKING AND DAGENHAM
Every report, one coordinated team.
All 54 services are available for sites in Barking and Dagenham. Prices are starting estimates; we confirm the fee in writing before appointment.
Planning & strategy
Heritage & townscape
Water & ground
Environment & amenity
Ecology & landscape
Energy & sustainability
Transport & viability
Structure, basements & ground
- Structural feasibility notes
- Structural planning statements
- Basement impact assessments
- Basement construction method statements
- Ground movement assessments
- Groundwater & hydrology screening
- Geotechnical desk studies
- Ground investigation reports
- Slope stability assessments
- Retaining wall assessments
- Demolition & construction method statements
- Construction management plans
- Structural reuse & retrofit appraisals
- Structural condition discharge statements
YOUR QUESTIONS ANSWERED
Planning in Barking and Dagenham: FAQs
Still have a question?
Tell us about the site and we will confirm what Barking and Dagenham will need and what it should cost.
Make an enquiryWhich reports does Barking and Dagenham require for a house extension?
Barking and Dagenham's list adds reports mainly when the site has constraints, such as a conservation area, tall buildings, a listed building, near a listed building, air quality management areas, close neighbours. Drawings and the forms are always needed. Our application checker lists the reports for your address.
How up to date is Barking and Dagenham's validation list?
The list we use is "Validation Checklist: Application for Full Planning Permission and Major Development within the London Borough of Barking and Dagenham", dated 2024-05-02. Councils revise their lists, so we confirm the current version before you commission reports.
Do you cover every part of Barking and Dagenham?
Yes. We work across the whole of Barking and Dagenham, including the postcode districts IG11, RM6, RM7, RM8, RM9, RM10 and areas such as Barking, Dagenham, Becontree, Chadwell Heath, Rush Green and Marks Gate.
Where are you based?
Our office is at Unit D New Wave House, 4 Humber Road, London NW2 6DW, and we work on sites across all 32 London boroughs, the City of London and OPDC.
YOUR NEXT STEP
Planning an application in Barking and Dagenham?
Tell us about the site and what you want to build. We will tell you which reports Barking and Dagenham is likely to need and what they should cost.
Call 020 8004 4464 or email info@greencodeconsultants.com.