Construction management plan input
Structural and civil engineering input to a construction management plan, often required as a planning condition.
About this service
Many London planning permissions now carry a condition requiring a construction management plan before work starts, particularly for basements, demolitions and infill sites on busy residential streets. The plan as a whole covers deliveries, working hours, noise, dust and traffic. The structural and civil sections cover what only an engineer can properly explain: how excavations are supported, how adjoining buildings stay stable, and how ground and drainage are managed.
We provide that engineering content and coordinate it with whoever is assembling the wider document, usually a planning consultant or the main contractor. Several boroughs, including Camden, Westminster and Kensington and Chelsea, publish their own templates or checklists, and the engineering sections need to follow the format the officer expects rather than arriving as a loose appendix.
Our input draws on the structural scheme and any Basement Impact Assessment already prepared for planning, so the approach described in the plan matches what was approved. Where details are not yet fixed, we describe the intended methods and the controls that will be in place, which is usually what the council needs to discharge the condition.
When you need it
- A planning condition requires a construction management plan
- The site has tight access or sensitive neighbours
What's included
- Structural and civil sections of the plan
- Temporary works and excavation approach
- Coordination with the planning consultant
How it works
- Read the condition and templateWe check the exact wording of the planning condition and any council template, so our sections answer what the officer will look for. Some councils want specific headings, drawings or monitoring commitments.
- Define the engineering approachWe set out the excavation method, temporary support to retained and neighbouring walls, spoil removal, dewatering if groundwater is expected, and protection to drains and services crossing the site.
- Write and coordinateWe draft the structural and civil sections and pass them to the person compiling the plan. Skip, crane and conveyor positions and access routes are cross-checked so they work with the temporary works.
- Support the submissionOnce the plan is submitted we answer engineering questions from the council and update our sections if the contractor or method changes before the condition is discharged.
What you receive
Why construction management plans get sent back
The most common reason is vagueness. Phrases such as 'the excavation will be suitably supported' or 'neighbours will be protected' give the officer nothing to assess. Councils want to see the method, the sequence and the controls: where props sit, how deep each stage of excavation goes, and what level of movement would trigger a pause in the work.
The second problem is inconsistency. If the plan shows a skip in the front garden over the line of new underpinning, or a conveyor through a party wall the structural drawings keep intact, the officer will notice. Writing the engineering sections alongside the logistics, rather than bolting them on later, avoids rework. Our temporary works guide explains the support methods usually involved.
Projects that used this service
Frequently asked questions
What is a construction management plan for planning?
It is a document, usually required by a planning condition, explaining how construction will be managed to limit disruption and risk to neighbours and the street. It typically covers access, deliveries, parking suspensions, working hours, noise and dust, plus structural matters such as excavation support and monitoring. The council must approve it before work starts on site.
Who writes a construction management plan?
Usually several people. A planning consultant or contractor often compiles the document and covers logistics, while an engineer writes the structural, excavation and drainage sections. On smaller projects the contractor may lead, with our input slotted into their template. What matters is that one person checks the whole document reads consistently before it is submitted.
Can work start before the construction management plan is approved?
Generally not, where the condition is worded as pre-commencement. Starting without approval can lead to enforcement action and may put the planning permission itself at risk. Councils can take several weeks to review a plan, so build that time into your programme before agreeing a start date with your contractor.
How much does engineering input to a construction management plan cost?
Our structural and civil input starts from £750 + VAT. Projects with basements, significant demolition or tight shared boundaries need more work than a simple extension. We agree a fixed fee in writing first, and our typical turnaround is 10 working days once we have the planning condition, approved drawings and any existing reports.