Planning in Westminster

Before submission

Validation requirements

Westminster Council requires a Local List of Validation Requirements for planning applications, effective as of July 2026. Applicants must submit proportionate information based on the scale and nature of their proposal, with specific checklists provided for householder and minor applications.

• Applicants must use official naming conventions and include a list of provided documents.
• Major developments require specific reports including Affordable Housing Statements and Energy Strategies.
• Pre-application advice is recommended to clarify necessary validation requirements and prevent application invalidity.

SourceWestminster — application requirements(opens in a new tab)· checked 2026-10-07

Timescales

Realistic decision times

Statutory target

The national determination period set in law, counted from validation. A target, not a guarantee.

Actual processing time

What the council's published performance data shows in practice, including extensions of time.

Allow for validation before the decision period starts. The usual statutory determination periods in England are 8 weeks for non-major applications, 13 weeks for major development and 16 weeks where environmental impact assessment is required, unless a different period is agreed.

• These are statutory targets, not a measured borough average or a guarantee. No current borough-specific average has been verified for this guide.
• An incomplete submission, amendments, committee referral or an agreed extension of time can extend the overall programme.
• Ask the planning team about its current validation queue before setting a construction date. Prior approval and other specialist applications can have different statutory periods.

SourceGOV.UK — determining a planning application(opens in a new tab)· checked 2026-10-07

Permitted development

Article 4 restrictions

These are selected directions, not an exhaustive address search. Read the council’s current map, schedule, commencement date and any later modifications for your property. A conservation area is not automatically an Article 4 area, and a direction affecting changes of use does not necessarily restrict a home extension. Confirm the responsible planning authority too: some development-corporation areas have separate arrangements.

Westminster has implemented various Article 4 Directions to remove permitted development rights, specifically targeting basement developments and changes of use to residential homes. These directions serve to conserve character and prevent specified land use changes in identified conservation areas.

• City-wide basement development rights were removed effective 31 July 2016.
• Permitted development rights for changing Class E commercial uses to C3 dwelling houses were removed in the Central Activities Zone (modified 2022) and outside this zone (confirmed 2022).
• Specific conservation areas subject to minor alteration restrictions include Abbey Gardens, Bridstow Place, Bristol Gardens, Moncorvo Close, Queen's Park Estate, Relton Mews, and Sussex Gardens.

SourceWestminster — Article 4 information(opens in a new tab)· checked 2026-10-07