The Mistake: Not Checking a Property's Planning History Before Buying
Planning history reveals unapproved extensions, rejected applications, and Article 4 restrictions. Buying without checking it can saddle you with enforcement notices or blocked development potential.
Every local authority in England maintains a public planning register. Before exchanging on any investment property, reviewing its planning history takes 20 minutes and costs nothing. Skipping this is a common and entirely avoidable mistake.
Planning history can reveal: extensions built without consent (creating potential enforcement action risk), a pattern of rejected applications that signals local planning sensitivity, restrictive covenants on the land title, or Article 4 Directions that prevent the very Permitted Development conversion you bought the property to execute. For commercial or mixed-use sites, uncovering these issues after exchange can be catastrophic.