Front-Loading the Planning Technical Package

Before commissioning the planning technical package, check the application requirements and agree a measured base where the project needs one. Coordinate levels, trees and other specialist information early enough to inform design. A survey supports the application; it does not guarantee validation or permission.

Early scoping gives the planning adviser, designer and other consultants a chance to identify the information they actually require. Some projects need detailed levels and sections; others can use suitable existing information. Agree the package around the proposal and its dependencies.

This article covers procurement sequence. The companion planning survey guide covers the measurements to discuss in the brief.

Establish the application requirements

In England, review the current national requirements and the authority's applicable local information list. The planning adviser should check which requirements apply to the proposal. See the government's application guidance.

Survey availability, access, consultant work, authority processing and further information vary by project. Agree dates and dependencies with the parties involved.

Information to check with the planning adviser can include:

• Existing site levels not related to a fixed datum
• Cross-sections not provided for a sloping site or where level changes are proposed
• Tree survey data not plotted on a survey base or not to BS 5837 standard
• Finished floor levels not stated relative to Ordnance Datum
• Inadequate information to assess relationship between proposal and neighbouring land levels

A well-scoped survey can provide relevant measurements. Tree assessment, flood interpretation and proposed design information remain separate tasks; measurement alone cannot eliminate all validation questions.

The pre-application conversation you should be having

At pre-app stage, the planning consultant's role includes advising the client on what technical information the application will require. This is the point at which the survey should be specified, because:

1. The pre-app response from the authority will often indicate whether levels, trees, or flood risk are material considerations for the site
2. The consultant can review the authority's local validation checklist and identify which survey-grade information will be required at submission
3. The team can agree what must be measured before particular design decisions are made

The planning adviser should explain which information is required and why, identify suitable existing evidence and agree any new survey brief before the design depends on it.

What to specify in the survey brief (from a planning perspective)

When advising a client on the survey specification, the planning consultant should consider which local validation requirements apply and ensure the survey captures data sufficient to satisfy them:

Levels: Ask the designer and engineer for the required extent, critical interfaces, breaklines, section positions, accuracy and height datum. Select contour intervals around terrain and intended use; fine contours do not establish fine measurement accuracy.

Trees: Agree measured positions and identifiers with the arboriculturist. Commission the specialist assessment explicitly rather than assume a general topographical survey includes a complete tree report.

Flood assessment: Let the flood specialist define levels, coverage, access routes, sections and datum. Check site-specific requirements; a measured plan is not itself an FRA.

For all sites: Boundary features in measured position, so the architect's site plan accurately represents the spatial constraints within which the design must sit.

Survey Data and Planning Validation Requirements

The coordination that prevents duplication

An agreed survey may provide a coordinated base for several consultants, provided their required coverage and measurements are included:

• The architect's existing site plan and design development
• The arboriculturist's tree survey plot and impact assessment
• The flood risk consultant's FRA levels and cross-sections
• The drainage engineer's surface water strategy and SuDS design
• The landscape architect's levels and planting design
• The planning submission drawings (existing levels plan, cross-sections, site context)

If data is captured separately, agree how identifiers, dates, coordinates and revisions will be reconciled. Independent specialist observations may still be needed.

Combining compatible requirements can reduce duplication. Access restrictions, different capture timings and later changes may require further visits or investigations.

The programme argument (for the client who resists early expenditure)

Build the programme around the actual quote and confirmed access. Identify when each consultant needs the measured information, allow time for checking it and agree how changes will be handled.

Early procurement makes dependencies visible. It does not establish a fixed saving, an identical fee at every stage or an automatic change to the authority's determination period.

Request a topographical survey quote with the marked extent, relevant existing information and specialist requirements. Check the submission package with the planning adviser.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

What should I check before commissioning? The applicable requirements, information already available, design decisions and separate specialist assessments needed.

When should I specify the measured base? Early enough to inform the decisions that depend on it. Agree the programme, access and checking time with the team.

Will early measurement guarantee a quicker application? No. It can reduce avoidable missing-information and coordination problems, but design, validation, decisions and further investigation remain project-specific.