The planning applications database has records of all applications from 1986 onwards, including copies of decision notices and plans for newer applications.
Visit the planning applications database
Information on older applications can be found in our collection of historic planning notices.
View historic planning notices (from 1947 to 2005)
Before using the planning application database and collection of historic decision notices, you should read the terms and conditions of use and other information below.
If you've submitted a Lambeth planning application recently or in the past, tell us about your experience using the system. Your feedback will be fed into our reducing invalid planning applications project to help us improve the system. Take our short survey.
Commenting on planning applications
The quickest and most convenient way to comment on a planning application is to use our planning application database.
- Visit the planning applications database
- Search the database for submitted applications
- Select the application you would like to comment on
- Click the 'Make a comment' button in the top right-hand corner
To comment online you should register for an online account.
Once registered you will be able to:
- Tracking applications
- Saving Searches
- Email notifications about tracked applications and new search results.
From 22 August 2022 you will only be able to comment online if you have registered an online account.
We do not accept anonymous comments on applications, and any anonymous comments received will not be considered in our evaluation of an application.
Please note that by law your comments are open to inspection by the public. When you make a comment on an application, we will not publish your personal details such as name, address and contact details on our website, however, please be aware that in certain circumstances your personal information may still become available to the public.
In the event of an appeal, your comment and your address will be sent to the Planning Inspectorate, who operate independently of the council. We recommend that you read the Planning Inspectorate’s privacy policy before making your comment.
In some circumstances, your personal information may also be released under a Freedom of Information or Environmental Information request, but only where there is deemed to be a significant public interest in doing so. We are committed to protecting your privacy. Find out more about the information that we collect, and your rights, by reading our privacy notice.
Comments on applications can also be made in writing or by email to planning@lambeth.gov.uk, or by post, although we strongly recommend that comments are made online via the website wherever possible. Comments received via email or post take longer to process and moderate and therefore take longer to be displayed on the council’s website.
To find out more about commenting on applications, including what we will consider and what we won’t, please check the comment tab of any application on Public Access.
Plans and application documents
Applications on the planning application database that were received after 2006 will usually include a copy of the application plans and some of the application documents. These can be found on the application record under the ‘Documents’ tab.
We aim to display the most up-to-date plans for a planning application, however, occasionally an application may be revised after it is submitted. This can mean that the drawings shown on the web are not the latest that we have received. For decided applications you can check on this yourself by matching the drawing reference numbers with the drawing numbers given on the decision notice.
Decision notices for most applications received from 1986 onwards can be found on the planning application database. Older decision notices can be found in the collection of historic planning notices. If a decision notice is missing from the planning application database and our collection of historic notices, you can request an electronic copy of the notice by emailing planning@lambeth.gov.uk.
Old application reference numbers
Planning applications made between 1984 and 1996 will often have a different format of reference number. You will need to change the format to make it work in our planning applications database.
For example, old references such as 1083/87/23247 or 93/1325/36769 would need to change to a format of: YY/XXXXX/PLANAP, where ‘YY’ stands for the year code and ‘XXXXX’ is the case reference number, which must be a five-digit number. Please note that you might need to add ‘0’ in front of your case reference number. In the cases above, the revised format for the reference numbers would be: 87/01083/PLANAP and 93/01325/PLANAP.
Other historic planning information
As well as the online resources described above, we also have an archive of older planning application files. We do not have files on all properties within Lambeth - only those where a planning application has been submitted. There are few planning application files from before the 1960s and many older properties have no planning history at all. Planning files will often contain floor plans and elevation drawings but very rarely include details of construction, electrical layout, plumbing or sewerage.
If you would like to view an original planning application file we can order the file from our archive and arrange a viewing appointment at our Brixton office. This will usually take about five working days and there is a fee of £5 for each file retrieved, payable on viewing. To minimize the cost we recommend that you are as specific as possible about the planning application or applications you are interested in. You can use the online planning application database and collection of historic planning notices to narrow down your request.
Please email your file viewing requests to planning@lambeth.gov.uk with the following details:
- The address of the property.
- Details of the application that you wish to view (ideally with a reference number).
- Your name.
- A phone number where we can contact you to make a viewing appointment.
- Confirmation that you will pay the file retrieval fee at your viewing.
Our planning files cannot be taken away from our office but we do offer a photocopy service on request. Any plans or documents that you select for copying that are A3 or a smaller size can be copied at the viewing appointment for a small cost. Larger plans cannot be copied at the viewing, but at an additional cost, can be scanned and sent electronically after the viewing. Please note the copyright restriction on the use of copied documents described below.
Terms and conditions of use
The data that the planning applications database draws on is incomplete, so it must not be used as a substitute for carrying out a formal local land charge search. The database includes details of applications dating back to 1986.
No responsibility will be taken for any errors or omissions in the information obtained from the planning applications database. Any actions taken as a result of information displayed on the site are undertaken entirely at the viewer's own risk.
Copyright
Plans, drawings and material submitted to the council are protected by the Copyright, Design and Patents Act 1988 (Section 47). You may only use material that is downloaded or printed for consultation purposes, to compare current applications with previous schemes, and to check whether developments have been completed in accordance with approved plans. Copies must not be made for other purposes without the prior permission of the copyright owner.
Privacy
If you have any concerns about any of the information that we display through the planning applications database, please contact us by emailing planning@lambeth.gov.uk. We will review your concerns against our policies and take appropriate action.