Planning and Building Control

Planning permission is different from building control consent. Even if you do not need planning permission, you may still need building control consent. In some instances, you may need both.

Planning control

Planning control, or development control as it is more generally known, is part of the planning service process and is an essential part of maintaining the history and managing the future of Southwark.

The development control service determines planning applications to ensure that proposed new developments support the council's community strategy, the council's Unitary Development Plan and national and regional planning policies.

The development control service also provides advice on the quality of design and negotiates planning agreements to deliver affordable housing and, where appropriate, other benefits to mitigate the impact of new developments on the environment and local community. 

For general advice on development control matters see contact details below.


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Duty planner service (pdf 45kb)
Tel: 020 7525 5438
Fax: 020 75255432
planning.enquiries@southwark.gov.uk 
Opening hours: Monday to Friday, 12.45pm to 4.30pm

Planning enquiry service  (pdf 40kb)
Tel: 020 7525 5403    
Fax: 020 7525 5432
planning.enquiries@southwark.gov.uk

Address for both services

Planning development control
Southwark Council
Council offices 
Chiltern
Portland Street
London
SE17 2ES

Building control

Building control are responsible for making sure all building work in the borough complies with building regulations. Building control approval is an independent check to ensure that building regulations have been complied with. Approval is gained by prior application and submission of details and/or by inspection of the ongoing works on site. 

The team provides a comprehensive consultancy service for your building control requirements. Committed to providing a quality, flexible and responsible approach, the team work to make your building control submission as simple as possible.

Building control
Tel: 0845 600 1285
Fax: 020 7525 5575
building.control@southwark.gov.uk
Council Offices
Chiltern
Portland Street
London
SE17 2ES
Opening hours: Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm

Planning policy

Planning policy is responsible for developing planning policy and guidance included in the Southwark Unitary Development Plan and related supplementary planning guidance (SPG). The Southwark Plan is the framework for all land use and development in the borough and is fundamental to delivering key elements of other council strategies including the community strategy. The team also provides advice on current and future policy and land use designations.

Planning policy team
Tel: 020 7525 5471
Fax: 020 7525 5561
planningpolicy@southwark.gov.uk
Chiltern
Portland Street
London
SE17 2ES
Opening hours: Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm

Do you want to be involved and informed?

Visit the planning committee pages. You will then be able to select either the agenda, minutes or the report for your meeting and view the document.

You will also be able to contact the individual officers responsible for the information in case you have difficulties accessing, downloading or finding a document.