Planning checklists - outline planning permission and reserved matters

Use the 'Outline planning consent' application from the Planning Portal.

Fill in all relevant parts of the form.

Sign and date the application form before you submit it.

If you're not able to submit your application online, download copies of all application forms from the Planning Portal website.

Why we need this

This is a national requirement set out in The Town and Country Planning (Development Management Procedure) (England) 2015 (as amended).

Fill in the certificate to confirm who owns the application site using the correct certificate or notice:

• certificate A for sole ownership and no agricultural tenants
• certificate B if you know who the owner or agricultural tenants are, or if you share the ownership with others and know them (you also need to complete notice 1)
• certificate C if you are not the owner but know some of them or if you share ownership and know some of the other owners (you also need to complete notice 1 and complete notice 2)

certificate D if you do not know any of the owners or you're an owner but do not know any of the owners or tenants (you also need to complete notice 2)

Submit a plan of the site showing the application site and its surrounding area.

Make sure you:

• scale plans at 1:1,250 or 1:2,500 and include a scale bar on each plan, on A4 or A3 paper size 
• use an up-to-date base map
• show roads or buildings on land adjoining the application site (labelling at least 2 roads)
• outline the application site clearly in red: this must include all land required for access to the site from a public highway, visibility splays, landscaping, car parking and open areas around buildings
• outline any additional land under the ownership of the applicant in blue if it immediately adjoins the proposed area

Submit a site plan showing the development, its boundaries and on-site buildings.

Make sure you:

• scale plans at 1:100 or 1:50 and include a scale bar on each plan, on A4 or A3 paper size
• include an arrow to show the direction of north
• clearly label and number all immediately adjoining buildings and all main roads surrounding the site
• outline in red the property and all land required for access to the site from a public highway, visibility splays, landscaping, car parking and open areas around buildings
• outline in blue any other land within your control that is close to or adjoining the application site

You must provide information to outline the proposed development. The type of support you need to submit will depend on your application.

At the outline stage, we will usually need the following details:

• current, prior and proposed use
• the size of the site
• hours of opening and employment information
• number of proposed dwellinghouses
• Flood risk assessment

We will need more information to progress the application. But, reserved issues might cause the details to change.

To meet high fire safety standards in Southwark, big developments must complete a fire statement.

You must refer to the London Plan Policy D12 (B) about:

• the building construction methods, products and materials used (including manufacturer details) how people will escape from the building
• how stair cores are designed
• how disabled users escape from the building
• level access and associated evacuation strategy
• features that reduce the risk to life (fire alarm systems, passive and active fire safety measures)
• providing access for fire service personnel and equipment
• how fire appliances can access the building
• making sure future modifications do not compromise the base build fire safety and protection measures

You must submit the minimum biodiversity net gain requirements and the local requirements for all small site planning applications.

You will also need to submit all other relevant supporting information. The case officer may ask for it at the pre-application stage or during the application process. 

From 2 April 2024, small site plans must have 10% more biodiversity. Examples of a small site include:

• applications of 1 and 9 dwellings on a site of an area 1 hectare or less or if the number of dwellings is unknown, the site area is less than 0.5 hectares
• commercial development where floor space created is less than 1,000 sq m or total site area is less than 1 hectare

If you think your site is exempt from this requirement, check the biodiversity net gain guidance.

Reasons for an exemption must be provided in your application form and be supported by evidence.

Check Southwark Maps and select layer 'Priority Habitats in Southwark and within 500m of the Southwark borough boundary correct as of February 2024' to check if your site has priority habitat. If it does, you will not be able to claim an exemption.

Minimum requirements

Read what you need to include when submitting a planning application.

It includes a completed small sites (statutory) metric and a scaled plan showing on-site habitats. A competent person such as an ecologist should complete the metric. They need special knowledge of habitat types and conditions. They can advise on the calculations.  

If your site includes priority habitat, the statutory major sites metric must be used.

You can find an ecology consultant on the CIEEM website. Use our pre-application service if you are unclear on the requirements of your biodiversity net gain strategy. 

Besides the minimum information requirements (set by government), we also need: 

• the correct statutory biodiversity metric with the post-development tabs completed showing how you intend to achieve the minimum 10% biodiversity net gain target
• photographs and maps
• a biodiversity report showing how you have followed the biodiversity gain hierarchy
• justification of the use of off-site biodiversity units or statutory biodiversity credits
• draft on-site post-intervention proposed habitat plan
•  a site baseline habitat plan and of any an off-site post-intervention proposed habitat plan   

Schemes that propose considerable biodiversity or off-site gains need more details on the biodiversity net gain strategy. You should discuss this with us at the pre-application stage. 

You must submit the relevant planning application form and pay the correct fee. 

You have 3 years after getting outline permission to submit a 'reserved matters' application.

Reserved matters might include:

• appearance: including the exterior of the development
• means of access: covering accessibility for all routes to and within the site
• landscaping 
• layout of buildings, routes and open spaces within the development 
• the height, width and length of each proposed building

Use the full planning application checklist for guidance. It will help you to prepare the supporting documents for your reserved matters application.

When you submit your documents in the Planning Portal, you should use the 'outline planning consent' option.