Planning Consultants in Kent
Kent is one of England's most diverse planning environments, from coastal regeneration in Folkestone and Margate to the High Weald National Landscape in the west. The county contains some of the highest-quality agricultural land in England, significant heritage assets in Canterbury and the Cinque Ports, and a growing demand for sustainable tourism and rural diversification.
Common in Kent
Local planning authority: Kent County Council and district councils including Canterbury City Council, Maidstone Borough Council, Tunbridge Wells Borough Council, Folkestone & Hythe District Council, and Swale Borough Council
Planning Consultants in Kent
We advise landowners, farmers, developers and homeowners across Kent and Medway, from Sevenoaks and Tunbridge Wells to Canterbury, Ashford, Maidstone and the coast.
Applications are decided by the 12 district councils and Medway Council, each with its own local plan. The Government chose a reorganisation model for Kent and Medway in July 2026; it is among the decisions paused for review in September 2026, and Kent County Council is challenging it in the courts. For now, the existing councils remain the planning authorities.
West Kent is largely Metropolitan Green Belt, and the Kent Downs and High Weald National Landscapes cover much of the county. In the Stour catchment around Canterbury and Ashford, new overnight accommodation must show nutrient neutrality to protect the Stodmarsh designated sites, and new homes near the Thames, Medway and Swale estuaries and the north Kent coast contribute to bird disturbance mitigation. Kent's high-grade farmland also supports farm diversification and rural business proposals.
Site in a flood zone?
Development in Flood Zones 2 and 3 usually needs a flood risk Sequential Test. For sites in Dover and Medway we offer a fixed-fee Sequential Test for £300, delivered within 24 hours of payment.
Planning Services in Kent
Urban Vista Planning provides the full range of planning consultancy services to clients across Kent — from homeowners and landowners to developers and businesses. Our Chartered Town Planners are MRTPI-accredited and experienced in dealing with the planning authorities operating in Kent.
- Planning permission applications
- Pre-application advice
- Planning appeals
- Permitted development assessments
- Lawful Development Certificates
- Change of use applications
- Heritage and listed building consent
- Ecology & Biodiversity Net Gain
- Highways and transport assessments
- Infrastructure consenting
- Equestrian and rural planning
- Discharge of planning conditions
Why Urban Vista Planning?
MRTPI & MCIHT Accredited
Our Chartered Town Planners and specialist associates are accredited and regulated by their professional bodies, including the RTPI and CIHT.
UK-Wide Coverage
We advise clients across England and Wales, including Kent, from our offices in Taplow (Buckinghamshire), Leeds, and Hereford.
Free Initial Consultation
We provide an honest initial view of your project — what is achievable, the best consenting route, and likely timescales — at no charge.
Full-Service Consultancy
We manage the entire planning process: application preparation, specialist coordination, authority engagement, and conditions discharge.
Key Planning Constraints in Kent
These designations and policy issues shape what can be built in Kent. Identifying them early is the single most effective way to avoid delay, invalid applications and refusal.
Stodmarsh nutrient neutrality
New overnight accommodation in the Stour catchment, including Canterbury and Ashford, must demonstrate nutrient neutrality.
Kent Downs and High Weald National Landscapes
Two nationally protected landscapes cover a large part of the county.
Coastal and estuary SPAs
The Thames, Medway and Swale estuaries and the north Kent coast carry recreational disturbance mitigation requirements for new housing.
Metropolitan Green Belt
West Kent districts such as Sevenoaks and Tonbridge & Malling are predominantly Green Belt.
Infrastructure & Energy Planning in Kent
Kent has a strong record of major energy consenting. Cleve Hill Solar Park was the first solar farm consented through the NSIP regime, and interconnectors and grid reinforcement land along the coast. Port, logistics and Lower Thames Crossing-related infrastructure also shape the county. We advise on solar, battery storage, grid and transport projects, from site appraisal through to consent.
Planning in Kent: FAQs
What is Stodmarsh nutrient neutrality?
The Stodmarsh lakes and wetlands east of Canterbury are protected sites affected by excess nutrients. New homes and other overnight accommodation in the River Stour catchment, including Canterbury and Ashford, must show they will not add nutrients, usually through mitigation secured before permission is granted.
Do new homes on the north Kent coast pay a mitigation contribution?
Yes. New homes within the zone of influence of the Thames, Medway and Swale estuary Special Protection Areas pay a contribution towards measures that manage recreational disturbance to their birds.
Is local government in Kent being reorganised?
Possibly. The Government chose a reorganisation model for Kent and Medway in July 2026, but that decision is among those paused for review in September 2026 and is being challenged by Kent County Council. For now, the district and borough councils and Medway Council decide planning applications.
Which council deals with planning applications in Kent?
Planning applications in Kent are determined by the local planning authority for the site — Kent County Council and district councils including Canterbury City Council, Maidstone Borough Council, Tunbridge Wells Borough Council, Folkestone & Hythe District Council, and Swale Borough Council.
What are the main planning constraints in Kent?
Key constraints in Kent include Stodmarsh nutrient neutrality; Kent Downs and High Weald National Landscapes; Coastal and estuary SPAs; Metropolitan Green Belt. We identify which apply to your site at the outset so they can be addressed in the application rather than discovered during determination.
Do you advise on infrastructure and energy projects in Kent?
Kent has a strong record of major energy consenting. Cleve Hill Solar Park was the first solar farm consented through the NSIP regime, and interconnectors and grid reinforcement land along the coast. Port, logistics and Lower Thames Crossing-related infrastructure also shape the county. We advise on solar, battery storage, grid and transport projects, from site appraisal through to consent.
Other Areas We Cover in the South East
Need a Planning Consultant in Kent?
Book a free initial consultation — we will give you a clear view of your options and the best route forward.