United Kingdom · guide · 18 September 2026
Outline vs full vs reserved-matters planning permission: how conditions apply to each
Developers phasing sites often hold an outline permission, later submit reserved matters, or receive a single full permission. Each type prints different condition sets and timing triggers on the decision notice. This page is reading literacy — not how to maximise outline permission or write reserved-matters submissions.
Three permission types — reading labels on the notice
| Type | What the notice usually grants | Typical condition focus |
|---|---|---|
| Outline | Principle of development; some matters reserved | Scale/access/appearance reserved; time limit to submit RM; phasing constraints |
| Reserved matters (RM) | Approval of details reserved at outline stage | Discharge of outline pre-comm conditions; RM-specific details; may reference outline conditions still in force |
| Full | All details approved in one grant | Pre-commencement, during works, pre-occupation, and compliance-only conditions on one schedule |
See decision notice vs officer report — the sealed notice binds, not the committee report summary.
Outline permission conditions — what to read first
- Time limit to submit reserved matters — often three years from outline decision (read the exact wording).
- Parameters that bind the RM application — maximum units, access point, landscaping strategy.
- Pre-commencement conditions on the outline grant — some bite only after RM approval; read each trigger line.
DecisionBrief classifies timing labels on the notice you paste — see how to read condition timing.
Reserved-matters approval — relationship to outline
When RM is approved, read:
- Which outline conditions remain operative (unless discharged).
- Which new conditions attach only to the RM approval.
- Whether pre-commencement gates now bite for site start — see pre-commencement vs pre-occupation.
Full permission — single-notice reading
Full permissions typically list all detail conditions on one numbered schedule. Use which conditions need discharge to separate discharge gateways from compliance-only duties.
Worked reading habit (illustrative)
Outline for “up to 50 dwellings” — conditions 1–3 may reserve appearance and landscaping; condition 4 may limit commencement until RM for phase 1 is approved.
Full permission for “8 flats” — conditions 1–12 may include pre-comm drainage, approved plans, and a three-year commencement limit on one notice.
Your sealed notice wording governs — these are pattern examples only.
FAQ
Will DecisionBrief advise which permission type to apply for?
No. We read the named sealed notice you order for £79. Application strategy is out of scope.
Does this guide cover S106 obligations?
S106 wording on the same notice is a separate reading task — see S106 vs conditions.