Lawful Development Certificate Drawings London | Fixed Fee
Prove your permitted development work is lawful — without a full planning application.
A Lawful Development Certificate (LDC) is a legal document from your local planning authority confirming that building work, or a use of land, is lawful and does not need planning permission. It is not planning permission itself — it is proof that permission was never required, which matters when a mortgage lender, a solicitor or a future buyer asks for evidence that an extension, loft conversion or outbuilding was built within your permitted development rights. DrawingsDirect prepares the drawings and supporting evidence a London borough needs to issue a certificate, checking first whether your project genuinely qualifies.
There are two certificate routes — one for work you are about to carry out (a proposed LDC) and one for work or a use that already exists (an existing or established-use LDC). Both are assessed against the same permitted development rules that apply to a full planning application, but the process is narrower, usually faster and typically cheaper, because the council is confirming a legal fact rather than exercising planning judgement. We assess your property, extension or use before recommending this route, so you are never sold a certificate application that will not succeed.
Fixed fees from £950 · Drawings in ~7 days · Free redraws to approval.
What is a Lawful Development Certificate?
A Lawful Development Certificate is issued under the Town and Country Planning Act and confirms, in writing, that a building project or a use of land is lawful and would not have required planning permission — or, for existing situations, that enough time has passed that the council can no longer take enforcement action. It carries the same legal weight as a planning permission for the purposes of proving lawfulness, and is the document solicitors and lenders look for when unauthorised-looking work shows up in a survey or a title check.
Proposed development vs an existing use — the two certificate types
Which certificate you need depends on whether the work is planned or already done.
Certificate of Lawfulness for Proposed Use or Development (LDCP)
Confirms, before you build, that a specific extension, loft conversion, outbuilding or use falls within your permitted development rights, so no planning application is needed. Useful where you want written certainty before committing to a project — for example ahead of a sale, or where a neighbour has raised a query.
Certificate of Lawfulness for Existing Use or Development (LDCE)
Confirms that work already carried out, or a use already established, is lawful — either because it fell within permitted development at the time, or because it has continued unchallenged for the statutory period (generally four years for a building operation or an unauthorised use as a single dwellinghouse, and ten years for most other unauthorised uses). This is the route most often needed at the point of sale, when a survey flags work with no paper trail.
Why choose an LDC over a full planning application?
Where a project genuinely falls within permitted development, an LDC is usually faster and less expensive than a householder planning application, because the council is confirming a fact rather than weighing design, amenity and neighbour impact. It also produces a cleaner record for the future: a full planning permission can carry conditions that still need discharging, while a certificate is a straightforward confirmation of lawfulness with nothing further to satisfy. The trade-off is scope — an LDC only works where the project is genuinely within permitted development or an established use; it cannot be used to seek permission for something that needs planning judgement.
What drawings and evidence do I need for an LDC application?
Every application needs accurate existing and proposed drawings — site plan, floor plans, elevations and roof plan where relevant — drawn to scale so the council can measure volumes, heights and boundary distances against the permitted development rules. For a proposed certificate, we prepare drawings that demonstrate compliance clearly, cross-referenced to the relevant permitted development class. For an existing-use certificate, evidence of the historic date matters as much as the drawings, and we advise on what a particular London borough will accept.
- Site plan and block plan located from Ordnance Survey data
- Existing and proposed floor plans, elevations and roof plan, drawn to scale
- Written statement addressing the relevant permitted development class
- For established-use certificates, dated evidence covering the statutory period
When a Lawful Development Certificate is not enough
An LDC only confirms lawfulness under existing permitted development rights — it cannot be granted for work that needs planning judgement, such as a project exceeding volume or height limits, one affecting a listed building, or one in a conservation area or under an Article 4 direction where permitted development rights have been removed. If your project falls outside these boundaries, a full householder planning application is the correct route, and we say so before you pay for a certificate a council would have to refuse.
| Factor | Lawful Development Certificate | Full Planning Permission |
|---|---|---|
| What it confirms | That work is lawful and needs no permission | Permission to build, subject to conditions |
| Typical drawing package | From £950 | £1,600–£2,400 |
| Assessment basis | Fact — does it meet permitted development rules | Judgement — design, amenity, neighbour impact |
| Best for | Extensions, lofts and uses within PD rights | Work exceeding PD limits or needing design sign-off |
| Statutory determination period | 8 weeks (typical) | 8 weeks for householder applications |
Lawful Development Certificate Drawings in your London borough
Local planning constraints, conservation areas and Article 4 notes for each council.
Complete your drawing package
Chartered planning drawings and application management for every London borough.Planning Drawings
Existing and proposed plans, elevations and sections, formatted to your borough.House Extension Drawings
Rear, side-return, wraparound, double-storey and basement extensions, drawn to approve.
Lawful Development Certificate Drawings — frequently asked questions
How much does a Lawful Development Certificate cost?+
How long does an LDC application take to be decided?+
What happens if the council refuses my LDC application?+
Do I need an architect for a Lawful Development Certificate?+
Is an LDC the same as building regulations approval?+
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