What’s a Planning Application Supporting Statement? Our Planning Expert Explains

Want the best chance of securing planning permission? Build It’s planning expert, Martin Gaine, shares his step-by-step guide to putting together a worthy supporting statement that will help gain the approval you want

Martin Gaine

When it comes to submitting a planning application, it’s a good idea to include some kind of written explanation of what you are proposing and why you think it should be approved. This supporting statement does not need to be long – for small projects, a cover letter is enough – but the case officer picking up your file for the first time will appreciate a basic outline of your proposal before they dive into the detailed drawings.

A supporting statement is especially important when you need to highlight key information that might otherwise be overlooked by your case officer, such as positive pre-application advice from the council, any changes made following earlier discussions or the presence of a very similar development at an existing neighbouring property. Do not assume that what is evident to you will be obvious to them!

To help you maximise your chances of planning success, here, I’m looking at the top 6 areas to note when putting together your planning application’s supporting statement, and answering your FAQs.

1. Don’t write too much in your supporting statement

The first rule is to resist the urge to write too much. For straightforward applications, such as a small home extension, the most effective approach is to provide a succinct, well-structured statement. A single-page document, laid out with clear, punchy bullet points, will communicate the key points far more efficiently than pages of dense text. However, for larger or more complicated projects and developments, you’ll need to provide more detail.

A comprehensive supporting statement will typically include five main subsections:

Description of your site and surroundings.
Outline of your proposed development.
Any relevant planning history.
Applicable planning policies.
Your case for approval.

2. Ensure you’ve described your site accurately

When discussing the site, aim to make it easy for the case officer to identify the correct house or plot while also providing the necessary context. Bear in mind that they will mostly be interested in whether the new development harms the character of the area or the living conditions of your neighbours. So, focus on any features of the plot that will affect that assessment.

What's a Planning Application Supporting Statement? Our Planning Expert Explains

Photo: iStock.com/urbancow

For example, you could explain that houses in the area differ quite a lot in size and style, or that they are scattered around rather than laid out on a consistent building line. You may want to point out that lots of them have been extended in the past.

It’s important to really explain your relationship with close neighbours: how far away they are; what windows are close to the boundary with your site; whether tall hedges or fences separate the plots; and if there are any significant differences in land levels. Finally, the site description should state whether the property is affected by relevant planning constraints.

Let the case officer know if your house is nationally or locally listed, for example, or if it’s in a conservation area, the green belt or a flood zone.

3. Describe the kind of development project you’re undertaking

The next step is to outline your planning proposal. Try to keep this simple and clear – you want to give the impression that your project is conventional and uncontroversial rather than complex or overly ambitious. It’s typical to provide dimensions (the depth, width and height of your extension or new build) and highlight the materials you would like to use.

You may also take the opportunity to summarise why you need the new development. While this isn’t strictly relevant, and the case officer won’t grant you permission on the basis of what you want or need, it does no harm to point this out as context.

That’s especially true if you’re proposing, say, an extension that enlarges a poky galley kitchen or one that would enable each of your children to have their own bedrooms. These points will help them understand the proposal in a practical light.

4. Be transparent about any previous planning applications

In this section, you can inform the case officer of any previous submissions that may be significant to your proposal. If you initially applied for a larger scheme and it was refused, you may wish to show how you took the council’s concerns on board and made appropriate changes. Don’t worry about including the ones that aren’t directly relevant to your current development.

If you were recently granted planning permission for something similar, you should provide details of what was approved. Likewise, if you have consent for a project that you haven’t yet implemented – known as an extant planning permission – this can be an important material consideration, as it may indicate that you already have the right to carry out a closely related scheme.

CASE STUDY Getting planning permission for this oak frame self build in Essex

Matt and Sarah Switzer joined forces with a local couple to try for planning permission for two homes on their 1.5-acre site. The Switzers meticulously studied the historical planning refusals for the plot, putting together a 30-page document addressing each point.

A lack of affordable and suitable housing in the area worked in the couples’ favour – who submitted two off-the-shelf designs from Welsh Oak Frame as part of their application, which also ticked the council’s boxes for a sustainable design that blended into the location’s countryside context.

The planning officer recommended a refusal, however, for fear that granting permission would open the floodgates to over-development of sites outside the dedicated boundary. But the two couples did not intend to build and move on – they wanted these to be their forever homes.

Two local councillors showed their support for the builds by requesting that the couples’ application was called into for deliberation by the planning committee. “The meeting cracked open a window of opportunity, as we were allowed to speak for a few minutes to justify our reasons building,” says Matt. “The committee members came to look at our site and voted unanimously in our favour – and our dream began to become real.”

read the story

5. Make yourself familiar with the local planning policies

It is not necessary to copy out all the council’s policies into your supporting statement. However, it could be a good idea for you to read them yourself, so you know how your application will be assessed and can then show how it meets key requirements.

Planning expert Martin Gaine speaks with visitors at Build It Live, where self builders can access specialist advice on every stage of their project

This segment is also an opportunity to interpret the policies and guidance. For example, if you think your proposal meets a certain criterion, you might note that the wording of a policy suggests flexibility or highlight that a section of a supplementary planning document uses phrases like ‘where practical’ or ‘in most cases’, implying the guidance is not absolute. There is no need to include a policy section at all if you don’t have a point to make about one or a specific interpretation.

If you are a self builder, it is worth checking whether the council has particular policies that support self build projects. You should also find out if it can demonstrate a five-year housing land supply and whether it has passed the government’s Housing Delivery Test, as councils facing a housing shortage are under greater pressure to allow the development of new homes.

6. Make a strong case & explain why your project deserves approval

The most important part of your supporting statement is where you address the key planning issues and argue why your application merits approval. For example, if the primary consideration is whether a rear extension could overshadow a neighbour’s side window or obstruct their view, this is the point you should focus on.

Be sure to go straight to the heart of your case. Most proposals for extensions and new builds are assessed primarily on their design and impact on neighbours, so there is little benefit in writing at length about how your development is acceptable because you have included a green roof and solar panels, for instance.

Supporting statement FAQs

How important are other nearby applications when writing a supporting statement?

Some supporting statements include information about other proposals that have been granted permission from the council. These precedents are only useful when they relate directly to the specific issues in your application.

If you are proposing a new build, there’s no need to list all the other new homes that have been completed in the area; it is only useful to point out a similar development nearby that underlines the specific issues that are also relevant to your claim and position. Say, for example, the council requires that new build homes have rear gardens with an area of at least 50m2, but you are unable to provide a garden of that size. You are aware, however, of a house nearby that was granted permission with a garden area of just 20m2. It is clearly helpful to point out this precedent in your application.

Can I do anything to guarantee a successful application?

A well-written supporting statement will not guarantee that your application will be successful, but it will ensure that the case officer understands it fully and considers the different factors. It’s one of the most cost-effective ways to improve your chances of winning consent and the time spent getting it right is almost always worth it

Focus on the issues that matter, keep it concise and let the drawings and technical reports provide the detail, while your supporting statement explains the reasoning behind why your scheme should be approved.

Is there anything I should or shouldn’t say in my supporting statement?

You should avoid waffling. Case officers won’t read a long, rambling statement. Resist the temptation to repeat yourself or otherwise pad it out. It may give off the impression that you’re not confident in your arguments. Don’t come across as angry, either. The planning system can be very challenging, and you may have already had a refusal or unhelpful pre-application advice. Still, criticising the council or case officer is only counterproductive.

Should I involve my neighbours?

Don’t speak for your neighbours. If they support your application, they should write in as part of the public consultation process – it is not for you to speak on their behalf. If you expect a neighbour to object, let them do so if they wish. Do not criticise your neighbours or suggest that any objections they make should not be treated seriously.

How much does it cost to submit a planning application in the UK?

It costs £588 to make a full planning application for the erection of each dwellinghouse (up to 10 dwellinghouses). An outline planning application is made when you’re looking to find out whether your proposed developments/plans are going to be acceptable either in principle, in whole or just in part. Generally, an outline planning application requires less information. For site areas under 0.5 hectares, it costs £588 per 0.1 hectare to make an outline planning application, and £635 per 0.1 hectare for sites between 0.5 and 2.5 hectares. Factor in the Planning Portal‘s service charge of £70, too.

Martin Gaine

Martin Gaine runs planning consultancy Just Planning. A former case officer, he has experience on both sides of the planning divide and now specialises in helping homeowners win consent at appeal. He is the author of How to Get Planning Permission: An Insider’s Secrets.