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Thanks, that’s all really helpful. I reckon I can do the necessary drawings for a pre-app. It’s a toss up between doing a single story extension within PD or a 1.5 storey ext. that’d need planning. I can draw the bigger version and see how it flies with the planning people before committing to too much detail & expense.
dbr
Yes. Need for Pre-App is dependent on how risky your proposed works are (any local precedents?), along with what borough project is in (box ticking exercise for many inner city boroughs), along with property fundamentals (listed and/or conservation area?). Regardless of the above, it is good to be able to discuss the project/risky elements with a Case Officer, and assuming you have a solid application gives you good steer for the formal application.
Pre-Apps are more expensive than a formal application (application fees), and have no statutory timeframe so can drag on dependent on the local authority/officer. Advice received is only as good as the information submitted so likely to be more expensive from a design team fees perspective as well.
Always recommend paying for a Pre-App with office meeting whether virtual or on site to present/discuss the project rather than just receive written feedback. Obviously your proposal will need to relate to planning policy, but it is also worth pushing the envelope of what you are looking to do so that you can appear to concede on items yet still, hopefully, end up with what you want.