Check planning before you buy a house
Planning affects what goes up next door, what you can change, and whether the extension you’re paying for was ever approved. The council’s records are public, but scattered. We gather them for a postcode, or for the house itself.
Free to start with a postcode. No account needed. See an example report.
How to check planning for a property
See what’s planned nearby
Enter the postcode above. The free area check lists planning applications within 1 km and what the council decided.
Check the protections on the house
Listed buildings, conservation areas, Article 4 directions and protected trees all limit what you can change. The full report checks each one at the house.
Compare the house with its records
If the house has been extended or has a room in the roof, there should be a planning application or permitted development behind it. The full report compares the home’s energy certificates over the years with the council’s planning records, and flags growth with no application on record.
Look further ahead
Larger developments and brownfield sites can change an area for years. The full report shows them, and in England the council’s local plan and how many new homes it plans for.
Ask your solicitor for the paperwork
Ask for copies of planning permissions and building regulations completion certificates for any work done to the house.
What we check
- Planning applications within 1 km, and their decisionsFree area check
- Listed buildings, conservation areas, Article 4, protected trees, Green Belt and National LandscapesFull report
- Extensions and loft rooms with no planning application on recordFull report
- Larger developments and brownfield sites that could be built nearbyFull report
- The council’s local plan, and how many new homes it plans for (England)Full report
- Emails when new applications are made near the home, with Buyer WatchFull report
Coverage: England, Scotland and Wales. Planning applications come from council registers, so detail varies by council. Local plans: England only.
Sources: Planning Data England (MHCLG); Council planning registers, via UK Planning API and PlanIt; Historic Environment Scotland and Cadw. All data sources
Why planning matters when you buy
Work done without permission becomes your problem when you buy the house. A planning application next door can change the view, the light or the traffic, and it can be lodged after your offer is accepted.
Being in a conservation area or a listed building isn’t good or bad. It changes what you can do, and what it costs, so it’s worth knowing before you plan an extension.
Questions to ask the seller, your solicitor or surveyor
- Was planning permission or building regulations approval given for each extension, conversion or loft room?
- Are there completion certificates for that work?
- Is the house listed, in a conservation area, or covered by an Article 4 direction?
- Are any trees on or next to the property protected?
The full report ties questions like these to what it finds at the house.
Common questions
How do I find out if a house had planning permission?
Search the council’s planning register by address, or run a full report, which lists the applications for the house and flags extensions with no application on record. Your solicitor should also ask the seller for copies.
Does every extension need planning permission?
No. Many smaller extensions are permitted development and don’t need an application, though they still need building regulations approval. In a conservation area, a listed building or under an Article 4 direction, fewer changes are allowed without permission.
What is an Article 4 direction?
An Article 4 direction removes some permitted development rights in an area, so changes that would normally need no application, such as new windows or turning a house into a small HMO, need planning permission.
Can I see what’s planned near a house?
Yes. The free area check lists planning applications within 1 km and their decisions. The full report adds larger developments, brownfield sites and the council’s local plan.
Official records, not advice. We never score properties or tell you whether to buy. Check a postcode