February 08th, 2026

Permission in Principle (PiP) is a two-stage planning consent designed to establish whether housing development is acceptable on a site before detailed design work is undertaken.

This guide explains what Permission in Principle is, what it does and does not approve, and when it may be an appropriate route for housing development.

WHAT IS PERMISSION IN PRINCIPLE
Permission in Principle (PiP) is a form of outline consent introduced to establish whether residential development is acceptable on a site in planning terms, before the cost of detailed design work is incurred.

WHAT DOES PERMISSION IN PRINCIPLE APPROVE
At the Permission in Principle stage, the local planning authority considers only three matters:

• Land use confirmation that residential development is acceptable
• Location whether the site is in a suitable location for housing
• Amount of development typically the number of dwellings proposed

Matters such as design, layout, access arrangements, and landscaping are not assessed at this stage.

WHAT PERMISSION IN PRINCIPLE DOES NOT COVER
Permission in Principle does not approve the detailed form of development. It does not grant consent for the layout, appearance, scale, or access arrangements of a scheme. Issues such as highways, drainage, ecology, biodiversity net gain, flood risk, and residential amenity are considered at the second stage of the process and can still affect whether a scheme ultimately proceeds.

WHAT HAPPENS AFTER PERMISSION IN PRINCIPLE IS GRANTED
Once Permission in Principle has been approved, a further application for Technical Details Consent is required.
This stage assesses the detailed aspects of the proposal, including design, access, drainage, ecology, and other technical matters.

Only when Technical Details Consent is granted does the development benefit from full planning permission.

WHEN IS PERMISSION IN PRINCIPLE A USEFUL ROUTE
Permission in Principle can be particularly useful for:
Landowners testing the development potential of a site
Small housing sites, typically up to nine dwellings
Backland or infill plots within settlements
Sites being prepared for sale or promotion

It can help reduce risk and provide clarity before committing to more detailed and costly stages of the planning process
Permission in Principle can be a valuable tool for establishing whether housing development is acceptable on a site, but it is not suitable in every case. Understanding both its benefits and limitations at an early stage can help avoid unnecessary cost and delay later in the process.

Early planning advice can help identify whether Permission in Principle or a full planning application is the most appropriate route for a particular site.