What the service provides

The Pre-application process is not compulsory, however, we strongly encourage early dialogue and involvement with planning officers at Merton.  As part of the Pre-application service, we will seek to resolve planning related matters at this Pre-application stage. This will help improve the efficiency and success of any formal application being submitted following the Pre-application process.

The Pre-application service provides you with a dedicated planning officer who will give you:

  • written summary of advice (not available for Category D developments)
  • A Teams or Zoom meeting with a planning officer where applicable
  • information on relevant policies and planning requirements
  • the estimated timescale to process your application
  • the information you need to provide on your planning application
  • Section 106 matters including likely heads of terms
  • best practice consultation methods.
  • help resolve planning issues at the Pre-application stage.
  • Attendance at meetings or site visits by Principal Planning Officers, Area Managers or Head of Development Management in addition to the allocated Case Officer can be requested (subject to prior agreement and additional charges apply, see hourly rates below)

As many formal planning applications will require public consultation, consultation with external consultees and sometimes decisions by the Councils Planning Committee, unfortunately, this Pre-application service cannot provide any guarantee that a proposed development will receive planning permission. However, the Pre-application service is setup to help make the planning process more efficient for applicants with a view of securing successful permissions within a reasonable timeframe.

Any formal application submitted to us without formal pre-application involvement will be decided on the information as submitted at the time of submission, in accordance with Merton’s and The London Plan adopted Planning Policies. 

How to submit

The form (below) and documents can be submitted via email to pre-apps@merton.gov.uk

An administration officer will then call you to take payment.

Once the application and fee are received the following procedure will apply:

  • Forms passed to Team Leader who will identify the specialist advice / information required and whether a meeting is necessary. Applicant is advised within 5 working days.
  • Team Leader allocates to appropriate officer
  • All documents are recorded to monitor for purposes of audit / training etc.
  • Case officer will arrange meeting date/availability of officers and send confirmation email to applicants.
  • Upon completion of meeting the officer will prepare written advice (based on scheme as submitted or following amended plans as part of the Pre-application process); which will be cleared by at least Principal Planner level

Make sure you have finalised your plans before submitting your proposal as any changes or revisions made after submission or meeting with the Officer will be considered as a new submission or amendment and additional fees will be applicable.

Given other workload commitments and the complexity of the advice required, at times the above targets may be subject to some delays.

See our rates for our pre-application service below.

To find out which category your development is in please see below.

Procedure and fees for category 'A' – large-scale, complex, major development

Request pre-application advice by submitting a Pre-Application Advice Form

You must send us the following for your application to be accepted:

  • site location plan (scale 1:1250)
  • description/schedule of uses
  • photographs
  • an outline of your proposal (on plans scale 1:200/1:100)
  • sketch drawings showing the height and scale of your proposed development in relation to its surroundings.

For larger sites you may need to provide other information including potentially EIA related information or a draft environmental statement.

Category 'A' proposals – large-scale, complex, major development 

  • Provision of 50 or more residential dwellings (including conversion)
  • Provision of 2000m² or more of floor space
  • Change of use of buildings or land over 2000m²
  • Mixed-use developments where the combined floor space is over 2000m²
  • Development involving a site of 1ha and over
  • Developments requiring an Environmental Impact Assessment
  • Development requiring the submission of an Environmental Statement under the Environmental Impact Assessment Regulations.
  • Planning/ development briefs/ frameworks
  • Sites for which the landowner wishes to establish their potential value, or where such briefs for potential developers will expedite the development process.

Initial meeting and advice note or report

(or agreement to have Pre-application report based on amended plans following advice received by officers – subject of additional charging – see next box)

Subsequent meeting and advice report

(following advice from officers and amendments plans being received)

Valid submissions received on and after 1st January 2024

Fee £3877.50

VAT £775.50

Total £4653

Valid submissions received on and after 1st January 2024

Fee £1250

VAT £250

Total £1500

For developments with multiple or complex issues you may need to have several meetings with different specialist officers. Consequently there may be a change to your fee. Any change to your fee will be agreed before submission and will be based on the table of Officers’ hourly rates below.

Procedure and fees for category B - major development

Request pre-application advice by submitting a Pre-Application Advice Form

You must send us the following for your application to be accepted:

  • site location plan (scale 1:1250)
  • description or schedule of uses
  • photographs
  • an outline of your proposal (on plans scale 1:200/1:100)
  • sketch drawings showing the height and scale of your proposed development in relation to its surroundings.

For larger sites you may need to provide other information including potentially EIA related information or a draft environmental statement.

Category 'B' proposals – major development

  • Provision of 10 - 49 residential dwellings (including conversion)
  • Provision of 1000m² - 1999m² of floor space
  • Change of use of buildings or land between 1000m² – 1999 m²
  • Development involving a site of 0.5ha – 0.99ha
  • Composite proposals for telecommunication masts/equipment – 10 or more sites
  • Mixed use developments where the combined floor space is between 1000m² - 1999m²

Initial meeting and advice note or report

(or agreement to have Pre-application report based on amended plans following advice received by officers – subject of additional charging – see next box)

Subsequent meeting and advice report

(following advice from officers and amendments plans being received)

Valid submissions received on and after 1st January 2024

Fee £1952.5

VAT £390.5

Total £2343

Valid submissions received on and after 1st January 2024

Fee £781

VAT £156

Total £937

For developments with multiple or complex issues you may need to have several meetings with different specialist officers. Consequently there may be a change to your fee. Any change to your fee will be agreed before submission and will be based on the table of Officers’ hourly rates below.

Procedure and fees for category C - minor development

Request pre-application advice by submitting a Pre-Application Advice Form

You must send us the following for your application to be accepted:

  • site location plan (scale 1:1250)
  • description/schedule of uses
  • photographs
  • an outline of your proposal (on plans scale 1:200/1:100)
  • sketch drawings showing the height and scale of your proposed development in relation to its surroundings.

Category 'C' proposals - minor development

  • Provision of 1 - 9 residential dwellings (including conversion)
  • Provision of 100m² - 999m² of floor space
  • Change of use of buildings or land between 100m² -999m²
  • Individual proposals for telecommunications equipment and masts not being confirmation of permitted development
  • Advertisement applications
  • Complex listed building applications

Initial meeting and advice note or report

(or agreement to have Pre-application report based on amended plans following advice received by officers – subject of additional charging – see next box)

Subsequent meeting and advice report

(following advice from officers and amendments plans being received)

Valid submissions received on and after 1st January 2024.

Fee £1172

VAT £234

Total £1406

Valid submissions received on and after 1st January 2024.

Fee £625

VAT £125

Total £750

If there are more than one set of amended plans submitted during the Pre-application process, the same charging would be applicable each time.

For developments with multiple or complex issues you may need to have several meetings with different specialist officers. Consequently, there may be a change to your fee. Any change to your fee will be agreed before submission and will be based on the table of Officers’ hourly rates below.

Procedure and fees for category D+ - small-scale developments and ancillary residential annexes

Email us at pre-apps@merton.gov.uk to book an appointment by providing the completed Pre-Application Advice Form

In your email:

  • Try to attach items that would help the officer understand more about your site and proposal (for example photos, site map or sketches). You can also submit a completed pre-application advice form.
  • Tell us the preferred date and time for your appointment. We will try to meet this depending on availability. Appointments are available from Monday to Friday between 9am and 11am and are up to one hour long.
  • A written note of the meeting will be provided by the case officer within ten working days of the meeting.

We try to make sure that your meeting is booked within ten working days of your request.

Specialist Officer input (i.e. Conservation Officer, Tree and Landscape Officer, Highway Authority, Transport Planning, Urban Design Officer etc) - Additional £141 for input from 1 February 2024.

Category 'D+' proposals – small-scale developments and ancillary residential annexes

  • Provision of 1m² - 99m² of floor space
  • Change of use of buildings or land between 1m² - 99m²
  • Provision of any outbuilding within a residential curtilage to be used for ancillary habitable accommodation as a residential annexe
  • Certificates of Lawful Development – for ancillary residential annexes, non-householder related applications such as confirmation of existing lawful use
Initial meeting and advice note 

Valid submissions received on and after 1st January 2024.

Fee £420

VAT £84

Total £504

Valid submissions received on and after 1st January 2024.

Specialist Officer input (i.e. Conservation Officer, Tree and Landscape Officer, Highway Authority, Transport Planning, Urban Design Officer etc)

Fee £117.5

VAT £23.5

Total £141 (for each)

Procedure and fees for category D - householder development and lawful development certificates

You will receive verbal advice only under this category. Emails us at pre-apps@merton.gov.uk to book an appointment by providing the completed Pre-Application Advice Form

In your email:

  • Try to attach items that would help the officer understand more about your site and proposal (for example photos, site map or sketches). You can also submit a completed pre-application advice form.
  • Tell us the preferred date and time for your appointment. We will try to meet this depending on availability. Appointments are available from Monday to Friday between 9am and 11am and are 15 minutes long with slots at 20-minute intervals.

We try to make sure that your meeting is booked within three days of your request.

Conservation Officer input - Additional £99 for input up to 31st December 2023 or £141 from 1st January 2024.

Category 'D' proposals – householder development and lawful development certificates

  • Provision of 1m² - 99m² of floor space
  • Householder applications (small extensions/alterations)
  • Certificates of Lawful development - for householder related applications
Initial meeting and advice note

Subsequent meeting and advice report

(following advice from officers and amendments plans being received)

Valid submissions received on and after 1st January 2024.

Fee £117.5

VAT £23.5

Total £141

Valid submissions received on and after 1st January 2024.

Conservation Officer input.

Fee £117.5

VAT £23.5

Total £141

Other charges

Decision notices

 Up to 5 April 2024From 6 April 2024
Planning applications and appeals£35.00 (each)£50.00 (each)
Enforcement Notices£35.00 (each)£50.00 (each)
Tree Preservation Orders£35.00 (each)£50.00 (each)
Completed Section 106 Agreements£35.00 (each)£50.00 (each)
Photocopying each A4 sheet£2.00£2.86
Photocopying each A3 sheet£2.30£2.86

In addition to document fees, charges are also made for officer time to search the archive. Documents held on microfiche may therefore incur an additional cost charged at £50 per hour pro rate, for example, a 15 minute search will add £12.50 to the total fee. You can email site.history@merton.gov.uk if you require an estimate)

Officer’s hourly rates

Following the meeting with officers or issuing of the pre-application response letter (depending on the pre-application category), the case will be deemed closed.

In addition to the allocated case officer, you can request a Principal Planning Officer for any Cat C or D Pre-application meetings or site visit (where appropriate) or Area Manager for Cat A or B Pre-application meetings or site visit (where appropriate), subject to formal prior agreement and additional charges. The allocated Principal Planning Officer or Area Manager would then be responsible for agreeing the Pre-application report (not applicable to Category D) and will see the scheme through to decision at formal application stage (those decided under delegated powers, for example, decided at officer level.

Any further advice sought from officers will either be charged at the rates outlined in the table below, or at the follow up pre-application fee.

RoleCharge per HourVATTotal
Assistant Director/Director£239.17£47.83£287
Head of Service£139.17£27.83£167
Area Team Leader£105.00£21.00£126
Principal Planning Officer£92.50£18.50£111
Planning Officer£60.83£12.17£73
Administrative Officer£43.33£8.67£52

Disclaimer

Any advice given by council officers for pre-application enquiries does not indicate any formal decision by the council as local planning authority.

Any views or opinions expressed are given in good faith, and to the best of ability without prejudice to the formal consideration of any planning application following statutory public consultation, the issues raised and evaluation of all available information.

You should therefore be aware that officers cannot give guarantees about the final formal decision that will be made on your planning or related applications, which will be subject to the proviso that circumstances and information may change or come to light that could alter the position.

It should be noted that the weight given to pre-application advice notes would decline over time. Advice for schemes submitted more than three years after the date will not be valid.

Pre-application confidentiality

Please be aware, if requested by a third party, any pre-application advice given is likely to be made publicly available as part of the online documents if we receive a related planning application. If you consider that any information contained in your pre-application submission, or any of the advice you received, should not be made available to the public upon receipt of a related planning application, the Council will need to be notified of this in advance of a full application, and the reasons why you consider this information should be exempt.

Planning Officer Duty Service

An officer is available via phone Monday to Friday, 1pm - 3pm to discuss planning queries, other than advice on site specific applications. There is a pre application service available for those discussions. The line is very busy so please be patient. Site specific advice on application submissions will not be discussed.

Contact us

Development Management
London Borough of Merton
Civic Centre
London Road
Morden
SM4 5DX

Email: pre-apps@merton.gov.uk

DX: Morden 41650

Fees for the pre-application service are non-refundable. Each agreement tends to be unique to the particular application and you can talk to the case officer at pre-application state about what is involved and the likely fee. Any agreement does not infer a positive recommendation is guaranteed, although every effort is made to positively process such applications. Please see Planning performance agreements (GOV.UK website)