PLANNING CONSULTANTS · KENSINGTON AND CHELSEA
Planning consultants in Kensington and Chelsea
We prepare and coordinate the planning case and specialist reports for sites in Kensington and Chelsea covering Notting Hill, North Kensington, Holland Park, Earl's Court, Chelsea and South Kensington. This page sets out what Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea asks for when you apply, with links to the council's own documents.
THE COUNCIL'S DOCUMENTS
What Kensington and Chelsea
judges you against.
Validation list. Submission Requirements for Planning Applications (RBKC local validation list) (2023-03-10). An application missing a required document can be made invalid, which delays the decision.
Development plan. RBKC Local Plan (New Local Plan Review) (adopted, 2024).
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 Kensington and Chelsea.
Checked against the council's published policy and guidance. Each point links to its source.
- The borough has 38 conservation areas, which together cover nearly three quarters of it. Source
- The council adopted its Local Plan 2024 on 24 July 2024. Source
- Basements are limited to one storey and no more than 50% of the garden, must not involve digging under a listed building, and need at least 1m of soil above them under gardens (Local Plan 2024 policy CD11). Source
- A borough-wide Article 4 direction has removed permitted development rights for basements under houses since 28 April 2016, so a basement under a house needs planning permission. Source
- An Article 4 direction in parts of the borough has required planning permission for changing Class E commercial uses to homes since 27 July 2022. Source
- Borough-wide additional HMO licensing runs from 1 June 2023 to 31 May 2028. Source
REPORTS KENSINGTON AND CHELSEA ASKS FOR
Kensington and Chelsea's validation list, report by report.
Which of these your application needs depends on the project and the site. In Kensington and Chelsea, extra reports are triggered most often by a conservation area, protected species, trees on or near the site, close neighbours, tall buildings, a listed building. Enter the address in our application checker to see the list for your site.
| Report | Level | When it is needed | Policy |
|---|---|---|---|
| Air Quality Assessment | Required | Major schemes need an air quality and dust assessment, an air quality neutral assessment, a dust management plan and a low emission strategy.Applies to: major schemes | London Plan SI1; RBKC Local Plan CE5 |
| Archaeological Assessment | Required | All development in an Archaeological Priority Area needs a desk-based assessment; elsewhere, major schemes should seek GLAAS advice.Applies to: all applications | RBKC Local Plan CL4 |
| Construction Method Statement (basement) | Required | Every new or enlarged basement needs a construction method statement prepared in line with the Basements SPD.Applies to: basements | RBKC Local Plan CL7; Basements SPD (2016) |
| Biodiversity Net Gain metric and Urban Greening Factor | Required | Applications in scope must demonstrate at least 10% biodiversity net gain using the latest statutory metric and meet urban greening factor targets.Applies to: one new home, 2 to 9 homes, major schemes, commercial, changes of use | Environment Act 2021; London Plan G5, G6 |
| Community Engagement Strategy | Required | All developments should explain how neighbours and the community were engaged, scaled to the proposal, which can sit in the planning statement or covering letter.Applies to: all applications | RBKC Statement of Community Involvement |
| Energy Strategy (with Whole Life-Cycle Carbon and Circular Economy) | Required | Major schemes need a GLA-format energy statement plus whole life-cycle carbon and circular economy statements, and must justify substantial demolition.Applies to: major schemes | London Plan SI2, SI3; RBKC Local Plan CE1 |
| Site Waste Management Plan | Required | Major applications must set out expected waste types, volumes, reuse and carriers.Applies to: major schemes | RBKC Local Plan CE3 |
| Sustainable Drainage Systems (SuDS) Strategy | Required | All applications need a SuDS strategy; major schemes must reach greenfield run-off rates with the GLA proforma and minor schemes must cut run-off by 50%.Applies to: all applications | RBKC Local Plan CE2; Greening SPD |
| Sustainability Statement | Required | Major applications need a sustainability statement consistent with the energy strategy, with BREEAM for non-residential schemes.Applies to: major schemes | London Plan; Greening SPD |
| Tall Buildings Impact Assessment | Required | Any new tall building, as defined by the London Plan and Local Plan, needs an assessment of visual, wind, light, privacy and other impacts.Applies to: all applications | London Plan D9; RBKC Local Plan CL12 |
| Townscape and Visual Impact Assessment | Required | Major applications need an assessment of effects on townscape character, views and heritage.Applies to: major schemes | RBKC Local Plan; London Plan |
| Whole Life-Cycle Carbon Assessment | Required | Major applications must include a whole life-cycle carbon assessment alongside the energy strategy.Applies to: major schemes | London Plan SI2; RBKC Local Plan CE1 |
| Tree Survey / Arboricultural Implications | Where relevant | Needed where trees on or next to the site, including street trees, may be affected, with a BS 5837 survey and method statement.Applies to: all applications | RBKC Local Plan CR6; Trees and Development SPD |
| Construction Traffic Management Plan | Where relevant | Required for major schemes, all basements and any work likely to cause disruption such as substantial demolition, using the council's proforma.Applies to: major schemes, basements | RBKC Local Plan CL7, CT1; London Plan T4, T7 |
| Land Contamination Assessment | Where relevant | Required for sensitive uses such as homes, schools or play areas and for any site known or suspected to be contaminated, starting with at least a preliminary risk assessment.Applies to: all applications | RBKC Local Plan CE7 |
| Daylight/Sunlight Assessment | Where relevant | Needed where a scheme may materially reduce light to neighbouring homes, gardens or amenity space, or where new units are affected by adjoining buildings, following BRE guidance.Applies to: all applications | RBKC Local Plan CL5 |
| Design and Access Statement | Where relevant | Required for major schemes, all listed building consent applications, and in conservation areas for one or more new dwellings or 100 sq m or more of new floorspace.Applies to: one new home, 2 to 9 homes, major schemes, commercial, house extensions, basements | DMPO 2015 |
| Biodiversity Survey and Report (including Biodiversity Net Gain) | Where relevant | Needed where protected species, nature conservation sites, priority habitats or water bodies may be affected, including older buildings near woodland or water that may host bats; schemes must show at least 10% net gain.Applies to: all applications | London Plan G6; RBKC Local Plan CR5, CE4; Greening SPD |
| Fire Statement | Where relevant | Major schemes, and any scheme needing Planning Gateway One, require a standalone fire statement by a qualified third-party assessor.Applies to: major schemes, 2 to 9 homes, commercial | London Plan D5, D12 |
| Flood Risk Assessment | Where relevant | Required for all new development in Flood Zones 2 and 3, sites of 1 ha or more in Flood Zone 1, and development in Critical Drainage Areas at surface water or sewer flood risk.Applies to: all applications | NPPF; RBKC Local Plan CE2 |
| Heritage Statement | Where relevant | Needed for listed building consent, for substantial loss of a building in a conservation area, and for works affecting the setting of a listed building or conservation area.Applies to: all applications | RBKC Local Plan CL1-CL4 |
| Lighting Information | Where relevant | Needed for external lighting in publicly accessible space or near homes, listed buildings, conservation areas or nature conservation sites.Applies to: all applications | RBKC Local Plan CL1-CL3, CL5, CL11 |
| Marketing and Use Viability Information | Where relevant | Needed where community facilities, hotels, offices, pubs, employment space or shops would be lost, normally with 12 months' realistic marketing evidence.Applies to: changes of use, commercial, major schemes | RBKC Local Plan; London Plan |
| Acoustic Report | Where relevant | Needed for noise-generating proposals such as plant, air conditioning, air source heat pumps and changes of use, and the notes extend it to basements and new residential or commercial schemes.Applies to: all applications | RBKC Local Plan CL5; Noise SPD |
| Planning Statement | Where relevant | Required for major schemes, departures from the plan, loss of retail, commercial or community uses, and any proposal needing explanation or policy balancing.Applies to: major schemes, changes of use, commercial, 2 to 9 homes, one new home | NPPF; RBKC Local Plan |
| Servicing Management Plan | Where relevant | Needed for schemes with off-street servicing or significant on-street servicing, such as supermarkets or large hotels.Applies to: commercial, major schemes, changes of use | RBKC Local Plan CR7; London Plan T7 |
| Transport Assessment / Transport Statement | Where relevant | A full assessment is needed for major schemes, 30+ homes, 1,000 sq m+ commercial, schools, 50+ bed hotels or large restaurants; smaller impacts need a transport statement.Applies to: major schemes, commercial, changes of use, 2 to 9 homes | RBKC Local Plan CT1; London Plan |
| Travel Plan | Where relevant | Needed for larger residential and commercial schemes; the list gives thresholds of 30 homes or 1,000 sq m in one place and 80 homes or 2,500 sq m in another.Applies to: major schemes, commercial | RBKC Local Plan CT1; London Plan T4 |
| Ventilation/Extraction Equipment Details | Where relevant | Required for cafes, restaurants, pubs, takeaways and other commercial cooking, and for large schemes with substantial ventilation near homes.Applies to: changes of use, commercial, major schemes | RBKC Local Plan CL5, CE6 |
OUR SERVICES IN KENSINGTON AND CHELSEA
Every report, one coordinated team.
All 54 services are available for sites in Kensington and Chelsea. 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
Neighbouring councils
YOUR QUESTIONS ANSWERED
Planning in Kensington and Chelsea: FAQs
Still have a question?
Tell us about the site and we will confirm what Kensington and Chelsea will need and what it should cost.
Make an enquiryWhich reports does Kensington and Chelsea require for a house extension?
Kensington and Chelsea's validation list requires Community Engagement Strategy, Sustainable Drainage Systems (SuDS) Strategy for householder applications, before any site constraints are taken into account. Constraints such as a conservation area, flood zone or protected trees add further reports. Our application checker lists them for your address.
How up to date is Kensington and Chelsea's validation list?
The list we use is "Submission Requirements for Planning Applications (RBKC local validation list)", dated 2023-03-10. Councils revise their lists, so we confirm the current version before you commission reports.
Do you cover every part of Kensington and Chelsea?
Yes. We work across the whole of Kensington and Chelsea, including the postcode districts SW1W, SW1X, SW3, SW5, SW7, SW10, W8, W10, W11, W14 and areas such as Notting Hill, North Kensington, Holland Park, Earl's Court, Chelsea and South Kensington.
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 Kensington and Chelsea?
Tell us about the site and what you want to build. We will tell you which reports Kensington and Chelsea is likely to need and what they should cost.
Call 020 8004 4464 or email info@greencodeconsultants.com.