PLANNING CONSULTANTS · KINGSTON UPON THAMES
Planning consultants in Kingston upon Thames
We prepare and coordinate the planning case and specialist reports for sites in Kingston upon Thames covering Kingston, Surbiton, Norbiton, New Malden, Tolworth and Chessington. This page sets out what Royal Borough of Kingston upon Thames asks for when you apply, with links to the council's own documents.
THE COUNCIL'S DOCUMENTS
What Kingston upon Thames
judges you against.
Validation list. Validation Local List (Royal Borough of Kingston upon Thames) (2024-02). An application missing a required document can be made invalid, which delays the decision.
Development plan. Kingston Core Strategy (adopted, 2012); Kingston Town Centre Area Action Plan (adopted, 2008); Kingston Local Plan 2028-2043 (Regulation 19 Publication Version) (emerging, 2026).
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 Kingston upon Thames.
Checked against the council's published policy and guidance. Each point links to its source.
- Single-storey rear extensions should generally be no more than 3 to 3.5m deep, and no more than 3m high with a flat roof or 4m with a pitched roof (Residential Design SPD, 2013). The guidance is over ten years old, so its weight should be checked case by case. Source
- Single-storey side extensions should be no wider than half the original house, set in at least 250mm from the boundary and set back at least 500mm from the front wall (Residential Design SPD, 2013). Source
- There are 26 conservation areas in the borough, including Surbiton Hill Park, The Groves, Old Malden and Kingston Hill. Source
- A new Kingston Local Plan was published for Regulation 19 consultation from July to September 2026 and is due to be submitted to the Planning Inspectorate in December 2026, with examination expected in 2027. Source
REPORTS KINGSTON UPON THAMES ASKS FOR
Kingston upon Thames's validation list, report by report.
Which of these your application needs depends on the project and the site. In Kingston upon Thames, extra reports are triggered most often by tall buildings, close neighbours, archaeological priority areas, critical drainage areas, protected species, 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 homes, including conversions and changes of use, must show at least 10% wheelchair user dwellings (M4(3)) and the rest M4(2).Applies to: one new home, 2 to 9 homes, major schemes, changes of use | London Plan D5, D7 |
| Air Quality Assessment and Air Quality Neutral Assessment | Required | All major applications must assess air quality and show the scheme is at least air quality neutral.Applies to: major schemes | London Plan SI1 |
| Basement Impact Assessment and Construction Method Statement | Required | All basement development needs an assessment of ground, structural, groundwater and drainage effects with an outline construction method statement, signed by a chartered civil or structural engineer.Applies to: basements | London Plan D10 |
| Delivery and Servicing Plan (outline) | Required | All major applications need an outline delivery and servicing plan with swept path analysis.Applies to: major schemes | London Plan T7 |
| Biodiversity Checklist | Required | Every application must include the council's completed biodiversity checklist.Applies to: all applications | Kingston Biodiversity Action Plan |
| Energy Assessment and Overheating Mitigation | Required | All major schemes must follow GLA energy guidance, show at least a 35% on-site carbon cut beyond Part L 2021 and include dynamic overheating modelling.Applies to: major schemes | London Plan SI2, SI3, SI4 |
| Health Impact Assessment | Required | All major schemes need a rapid health impact assessment, and Mayor-referable schemes a full one.Applies to: major schemes | London Plan GG3 |
| Fire Statement (London Plan) or Reasonable Exception Statement | Required | All applications must address fire safety, with a full fire statement recommended for major schemes; a reasonable exception statement is allowed only for minor works adding no units, lifts or external material changes.Applies to: all applications | London Plan D12 |
| Planning Statement | Required | All major applications need a planning statement assessing policy compliance and summarising other documents.Applies to: major schemes | Kingston Local Plan; London Plan |
| Tall Building Statement | Required | Tall buildings as defined in the London Plan need visual, physical and movement impact studies with verified views.Applies to: all applications | London Plan D9, D3, HC1 |
| Travel Plan | Required | All major applications need a travel plan with measurable targets.Applies to: major schemes | London Plan T4 |
| Urban Greening Factor Statement | Required | All major applications must show they meet the minimum urban greening factor.Applies to: major schemes | London Plan G5 |
| Water Consumption Statement | Required | New homes must meet 105 litres per person per day and new commercial space BREEAM Excellent water credits.Applies to: one new home, 2 to 9 homes, major schemes, commercial, changes of use | London Plan SI5 |
| 45 and 25 Degree Plans and Statement | Where relevant | Extensions and outbuildings must show the 45-degree test, and two-storey or higher extensions the 25-degree test; failing these triggers a daylight and sunlight report.Applies to: house extensions, basements | Residential Design SPD (Guidance 17, 18) |
| Affordable Housing Statement | Where relevant | All major residential schemes, or any scheme including affordable homes, must set out the affordable unit schedule, tenures and rents.Applies to: major schemes | London Plan Chapter 4 (H4-H6) |
| Tree Survey, Arboricultural Impact Assessment and Method Statement | Where relevant | Needed where trees may be affected, with CAVAT values for trees lost and a method statement where work enters root protection areas.Applies to: all applications | London Plan G1, G5, G7 |
| Archaeological Assessment | Where relevant | Major schemes in an Archaeological Priority Area or on sites over 0.5 ha need at least a desk-based assessment, as do some minor schemes in Tier 1 or 2 priority areas.Applies to: major schemes, 2 to 9 homes, one new home, commercial, basements | London Plan HC1 |
| Biodiversity Gain Plan / BNG information | Where relevant | Applications must state whether the statutory biodiversity gain condition applies, with a pre-development metric and habitat plan, or explain an exemption.Applies to: one new home, 2 to 9 homes, major schemes, commercial, changes of use | DMPO 2015 Article 7 |
| Circular Economy Statement | Where relevant | Schemes referable to the Mayor of London must submit a circular economy statement.Applies to: major schemes | London Plan SI7 |
| Construction Management Plan (outline) | Where relevant | Needed for any basement, substantial demolition or excavation, confined sites or sites near sensitive receptors, and major schemes with external works.Applies to: basements, major schemes | London Plan T7 |
| Land Contamination Assessment | Where relevant | Needed for contaminated or former industrial land, all major schemes, and sites on or next to public open space.Applies to: all applications | Environmental Protection Act 1990 Part IIA |
| Daylight, Sunlight and Overshadowing Assessment | Where relevant | Required for all major residential schemes and wherever light to neighbouring land may be affected, to BRE 2022 guidance; householders may rely on the 45 and 25 degree tests.Applies to: all applications | BRE BR209 (2022) |
| Design and Access Statement | Where relevant | Required for major schemes, listed building consent, and in conservation areas where one or more dwellings or 100 sqm or more of floorspace is created.Applies to: all applications | DMPO 2015 |
| Ecology Surveys and Reports | Where relevant | All major applications need an ecological appraisal, usually an ecological impact assessment, with any recommended species surveys submitted up front.Applies to: major schemes | London Plan G1-G9 |
| Affordable Housing Financial Viability Assessment | Where relevant | Major residential schemes offering under 35% affordable housing (50% on public land) must submit a full viability assessment with a working model, reviewed at the applicant's cost.Applies to: major schemes | London Plan H4, H6 |
| Fire Statement (Gateway One) | Where relevant | Needed where a building of 18 m or 7+ storeys would contain two or more dwellings or educational accommodation, using the national form.Applies to: 2 to 9 homes, major schemes, changes of use, commercial | DMPO 2015 (Gateway One) |
| Flood Risk Assessment | Where relevant | Needed for sites in Flood Zone 2 or 3, sites at surface water flood risk and non-householder sites of 1 ha or more in Flood Zone 1; householders in these zones can use the Environment Agency form.Applies to: all applications | London Plan SI12; Kingston SFRA |
| Heritage Statement | Where relevant | Needed for proposals affecting designated or non-designated heritage assets or their setting, or ground disturbance in an Archaeological Priority Area.Applies to: all applications | London Plan HC1 |
| Lighting Assessment | Where relevant | Needed where lighting, especially floodlighting, would be visible off-site or spill light, including effects on bats.Applies to: all applications | NPPG Light Pollution |
| Loss of Employment Land / Marketing Assessment | Where relevant | Loss of jobs, commercial floorspace or industrial capacity needs justification and marketing evidence of up to two years.Applies to: changes of use, commercial, major schemes | London Plan Chapter 6 |
| Acoustic and Vibration Impact Assessment | Where relevant | Needed for noise-generating plant such as air conditioning or air source heat pumps, and for noise-sensitive uses near noise sources.Applies to: all applications | London Plan D13, D14 |
| Statement of Community Involvement | Where relevant | All major applications, and sensitive schemes of significant public interest, must show how the wider community was engaged before submission.Applies to: major schemes | Kingston SCI |
| Drainage Strategy and SuDS Report | Where relevant | All major schemes, and any site in a Critical Drainage Area, need a drainage strategy aiming for greenfield run-off with the borough SuDS proforma.Applies to: all applications | London Plan SI13 |
| BREEAM Pre-Assessment | Where relevant | Non-residential development over 500 sqm, including conversions and changes of use, must show it will reach BREEAM Outstanding.Applies to: commercial, major schemes, changes of use | BREEAM |
| Transport Assessment | Where relevant | All major developments and any scheme with significant transport implications need a transport assessment to TfL guidance.Applies to: major schemes | London Plan T4-T6 |
| Transport Statement | Where relevant | Needed for schools, nurseries, hospitals and places of worship, for 100 sqm or more of new Class E floorspace, and other minor schemes with transport impacts.Applies to: commercial, changes of use, 2 to 9 homes | London Plan T4 |
| Retrofit-first Statement | Where relevant | Major schemes involving demolition must justify why the existing building cannot be retained or reused.Applies to: major schemes | London Plan SI2, SI7 |
| Wind Impact Assessment | Where relevant | Buildings of 7+ storeys, or much taller than their surroundings, need wind tunnel testing against Lawson criteria.Applies to: major schemes, commercial, 2 to 9 homes | London Plan D9 |
OUR SERVICES IN KINGSTON UPON THAMES
Every report, one coordinated team.
All 54 services are available for sites in Kingston upon Thames. 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 Kingston upon Thames: FAQs
Still have a question?
Tell us about the site and we will confirm what Kingston upon Thames will need and what it should cost.
Make an enquiryWhich reports does Kingston upon Thames require for a house extension?
Kingston upon Thames's validation list requires Biodiversity Checklist, Fire Statement (London Plan) or Reasonable Exception Statement 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 Kingston upon Thames's validation list?
The list we use is "Validation Local List (Royal Borough of Kingston upon Thames)", dated 2024-02. Councils revise their lists, so we confirm the current version before you commission reports.
Do you cover every part of Kingston upon Thames?
Yes. We work across the whole of Kingston upon Thames, including the postcode districts KT1, KT2, KT3, KT4, KT5, KT6, KT9 and areas such as Kingston, Surbiton, Norbiton, New Malden, Tolworth and Chessington.
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 Kingston upon Thames?
Tell us about the site and what you want to build. We will tell you which reports Kingston upon Thames is likely to need and what they should cost.
Call 020 8004 4464 or email info@greencodeconsultants.com.