PLANNING CONSULTANTS · CAMDEN
Planning consultants in Camden
We prepare and coordinate the planning case and specialist reports for sites in Camden covering Kentish Town, Camden Town, Hampstead, Belsize Park, West Hampstead and Gospel Oak. This page sets out what London Borough of Camden asks for when you apply, with links to the council's own documents.
THE COUNCIL'S DOCUMENTS
What Camden
judges you against.
Validation list. Camden's Local Area Requirements for Planning Applications 2025 (2025). An application missing a required document can be made invalid, which delays the decision.
Development plan. Camden Local Plan (adopted, 2017); Camden Local Plan (new, submitted October 2025) (emerging, 2026); 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 Camden.
Checked against the council's published policy and guidance. Each point links to its source.
- Camden has 40 conservation areas, covering about half of the borough. Source
- Dormers should be subordinate to the roof slope, sit within it and keep even distances to the ridge, eaves and side parapet walls; rear extensions should pass the 45-degree and 25-degree daylight tests and leave a reasonably sized garden (Home Improvements CPG, 2021). Source
- Basements should be no more than one storey, cover no more than 50% of each garden, extend into the garden no further than 50% of the depth of the house from the main rear wall, and be less than 1.5 times the house's footprint (Local Plan policy A5, 2017). Source
- Borough-wide additional HMO licensing has applied since 8 December 2015 to properties occupied by 3 or more people forming 2 or more households. Source
- Camden CIL applies to proposals that add 100 sq m of new floorspace or an extra dwelling, under the charging schedule adopted on 30 October 2020. Source
- A new Camden Local Plan is at examination, with hearing sessions held in May and June 2026, so the 2017 Local Plan policies may be replaced. Source
REPORTS CAMDEN ASKS FOR
Camden's validation list, report by report.
Which of these your application needs depends on the project and the site. In Camden, extra reports are triggered most often by a listed building, a conservation area, flood zones 2 and 3, critical drainage areas, near a listed building, noisy locations. Enter the address in our application checker to see the list for your site.
| Report | Level | When it is needed | Policy |
|---|---|---|---|
| Accessibility Statement | Required | Any new residential accommodation, including conversions and changes of use, must address M4(2)/M4(3) standards.Applies to: one new home, 2 to 9 homes, major schemes, changes of use | Camden Local Plan H6, H8, C6 |
| Affordable Housing Statement | Required | Required where a scheme adds 1+ home and 100 m2+ of housing floorspace, or for student, shared or older people's housing.Applies to: 2 to 9 homes, major schemes, one new home, changes of use | Camden Local Plan H2, H4 |
| Tree Survey / Arboricultural Assessment | Required | Required whenever trees are on the site or adjacent land, including street trees.Applies to: all applications | Camden Local Plan A2, A3 |
| Archaeological Assessment | Required | A desk-based assessment is needed for new buildings or ground disturbance in an Archaeological Priority Area.Applies to: all applications | Camden Local Plan D2 |
| Basement Impact Assessment | Required | All schemes with new or enlarged basements need a five-stage BIA by qualified professionals, with a non-technical summary and pro forma.Applies to: basements | Camden Local Plan A5; Basements CPG |
| Crime Impact Assessment | Required | All major applications need a crime impact assessment.Applies to: major schemes | Camden Local Plan C5, D1 |
| Biodiversity Survey and Report | Required | Required where the site is in or next to a SSSI, SINC, LNR, habitat corridor or Neighbourhood Plan site.Applies to: all applications | Camden Local Plan A2, A3 |
| Employment and Training Strategy | Required | All major applications need an employment and training strategy.Applies to: major schemes | Camden Local Plan E1 |
| Energy Statement | Required | All new-build dwellings and any scheme of 5+ dwellings or over 500 m2 need an energy statement.Applies to: one new home, 2 to 9 homes, major schemes, changes of use, commercial | Camden Local Plan CC1 |
| Flood Risk Assessment | Required | Required for every site of 1 ha or more.Applies to: all applications | Camden Local Plan CC3 |
| Flood Risk Assessment (majors and basements in flood areas) | Required | Majors in flood risk areas, and basements on flood-risk streets, over historic watercourses or with groundwater risk, need an FRA.Applies to: major schemes, basements | Camden Local Plan CC3 |
| Health Impact Assessment | Required | Rapid HIA for 10-99 net dwellings; a comprehensive HIA is likely for 100+ dwellings or 10,000 m2+.Applies to: major schemes | Camden Local Plan C1 |
| Heritage Statement | Required | Required for listed building consent, substantial demolition in a conservation area, locally listed buildings and works affecting the setting of a listed building or conservation area.Applies to: all applications | Camden Local Plan D1, D2 |
| Landscaping Scheme | Required | Major applications with external space need a landscaping scheme.Applies to: major schemes | Camden Local Plan A2, A3 |
| Planning Statement | Required | All major applications need a planning statement.Applies to: major schemes | Camden Local Plan |
| Drainage Report | Required | Every new or extended basement needs a drainage report with existing, greenfield and proposed run-off rates.Applies to: basements | Camden Local Plan CC3 |
| Sustainable Drainage Systems Strategy | Required | All major applications need a SuDS strategy.Applies to: major schemes | Camden Local Plan CC3 |
| Sustainability Statement (incl. BREEAM) | Required | Schemes of 5+ dwellings or 500 m2+ must address CC2; non-domestic 500 m2+ needs BREEAM Excellent pre-assessment; overheating-risk units need thermal modelling.Applies to: 2 to 9 homes, major schemes, commercial, changes of use | Camden Local Plan CC1, CC2, CC3 |
| Transport Assessment including Travel Plan | Required | All majors, and smaller schemes with transport impacts such as schools, places of worship or community uses.Applies to: major schemes | Camden Local Plan A1 |
| Air Quality Assessment | Where relevant | Basic AQA for new sensitive uses in poor air, biomass/CHP or major earthworks; detailed AQA for 75+ homes, 2,500 m2+ commercial or majors near busy roads.Applies to: one new home, 2 to 9 homes, major schemes, changes of use, commercial, basements | Camden Local Plan A1, CC4 |
| Construction Management Plan | Where relevant | Required for all majors and other schemes listed in Local Plan para 6.13 or Neighbourhood Plans (basements cited as an example).Applies to: major schemes, basements | Camden Local Plan A1 |
| Contaminated Land Assessment | Where relevant | Required where contamination is known or suspected, e.g. former landfill or petrol station sites.Applies to: all applications | Camden Local Plan A1 |
| Daylight and Sunlight Assessment | Where relevant | Needed where neighbouring light or gardens may be affected; 10+ new homes or poorly lit units also need internal light checks (BRE 2022).Applies to: all applications | Camden Local Plan A1 |
| Delivery and Servicing Management Plan | Where relevant | Required for major commercial schemes or significant goods movement.Applies to: commercial, major schemes | Camden Local Plan A1 |
| Affordable Housing Financial Viability Assessment | Where relevant | Required where affordable housing targets are not met on viability grounds.Applies to: 2 to 9 homes, major schemes, one new home, changes of use, commercial | Camden Local Plan DM1, H4, H5 |
| Lighting Assessment | Where relevant | Required where external lighting or floodlighting is proposed.Applies to: all applications | Camden Local Plan A1 |
| Marketing and Use Viability Evidence | Where relevant | Loss of community, pub, shop or employment space needs marketing evidence: 12 months for community uses and pubs, 2 years for employment.Applies to: changes of use, commercial, major schemes | Camden Local Plan C2, C3, C4, TC3, E2 |
| Acoustic Report | Where relevant | Required for plant, flues or extraction, noisy uses, noise-sensitive uses in noisy areas, or traffic increases over 5% AADT.Applies to: all applications | Camden Local Plan A1, A4, Appendix 3 |
| Structural Report | Where relevant | Needed for structural alterations or substantial demolition affecting a listed, conservation area or locally listed building.Applies to: all applications | Camden Local Plan D1, D2 |
| Drainage Report (flood areas) | Where relevant | Other vulnerable development in areas at risk of flooding also needs a drainage report.Applies to: all applications | Camden Local Plan CC3 |
| Views Analysis (LVMF and local views) | Where relevant | Required where a scheme rises above an LVMF viewing corridor plane or affects a protected local view.Applies to: major schemes, commercial, 2 to 9 homes | Camden Local Plan D1; LVMF |
OUR SERVICES IN CAMDEN
Every report, one coordinated team.
All 54 services are available for sites in Camden. 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
OUR WORK IN CAMDEN
Applications we have supported here.
Neighbouring councils
YOUR QUESTIONS ANSWERED
Planning in Camden: FAQs
Still have a question?
Tell us about the site and we will confirm what Camden will need and what it should cost.
Make an enquiryWhich reports does Camden require for a house extension?
Camden's list adds reports mainly when the site has constraints, such as a listed building, a conservation area, flood zones 2 and 3, critical drainage areas, near a listed building, noisy locations. Drawings and the forms are always needed. Our application checker lists the reports for your address.
How up to date is Camden's validation list?
The list we use is "Camden's Local Area Requirements for Planning Applications 2025", dated 2025. Councils revise their lists, so we confirm the current version before you commission reports.
Do you cover every part of Camden?
Yes. We work across the whole of Camden, including the postcode districts EC1N, EC1R, N1C, N6, NW1, NW3, NW5, NW6, NW8, W1T, WC1A, WC1B, WC1E, WC1H, WC1N, WC1R, WC1V, WC1X, WC2A, WC2B, WC2H and areas such as Kentish Town, Camden Town, Hampstead, Belsize Park, West Hampstead and Gospel Oak.
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 Camden?
Tell us about the site and what you want to build. We will tell you which reports Camden is likely to need and what they should cost.
Call 020 8004 4464 or email info@greencodeconsultants.com.