Glossary definition
Pre-Commencement Conditions
Conditions attached to a planning permission that must be discharged before any development work can begin on site. Common pre-commencement conditions include submission of a construction management plan, archaeological investigation, contamination remediation strategy, and drainage details.
Definition
Conditions attached to a planning permission that must be discharged before any development work can begin on site. Common pre-commencement conditions include submission of a construction management plan, archaeological investigation, contamination remediation strategy, and drainage details. Under the Town and Country Planning Act 1990 (as amended), pre-commencement conditions require the applicant's written agreement, and lenders will not release construction drawdowns until all pre-commencement conditions have been formally discharged by the local authority.
See also
Closely related terms.
Planning Permission
Formal consent from the local planning authority required before carrying out most types of development, including new construction, material changes of use, and significant alterations to existing buildings.
Outline Planning Permission
A form of planning consent that establishes the principle and scale of development on a site without approving the detailed design, which is dealt with subsequently through reserved matters applications.
Drawdown
The staged release of loan funds during a development project, triggered by the completion of pre-agreed construction milestones.
Brownfield
Previously developed land that is or was occupied by a permanent structure, as defined in Annex 2 of the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF).
Further reading
Guides that touch this term.
Guide
Legal Due Diligence in Development Finance: What Solicitors Check
Legal due diligence is the backbone of every development finance transaction. This guide explains what solicitors investigate, common issues that delay completions, and how to prepare your legal pack.
9 min read readReadGuide
How Does Development Finance Work? A Complete Guide for UK Developers
A ground-up guide to how development finance is structured in the UK, covering loan mechanics, drawdown schedules, monitoring surveyors, and what lenders look for in your application.
5 min read readReadGuide
Development Finance Application Checklist: Documents You Need
A comprehensive checklist covering every document lenders require for a development finance application, from development appraisals to contractor tenders and planning evidence.
11 min read readRead
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