Glossary
Outline planning permission
Outline planning permission establishes whether the principle of a development is acceptable, with details (reserved matters) approved later. It is mainly used for new builds and larger schemes, not typical householder extensions.
Householder work almost always uses a full application instead.
Outline routes exist in broadly similar form across UK planning systems, with local procedural differences.
Official source: Making an application (GOV.UK). Checked 27 October 2026.