Pre-commencement conditions asking for a construction management document are among the most common conditions on any permission. The names vary from council to council, and so do the expectations. Submitting the wrong type of document is one of the most common reasons these conditions are sent back.
Construction Management Plan (CMP)
A CMP sets out how the site will be run so that it does not cause problems for neighbours, the highway or the public. It typically covers:
- site set-up, hoarding and access points
- working hours, including deliveries
- construction traffic: routes, vehicle sizes, numbers and booking arrangements
- parking for contractors and visitors
- wheel washing and road cleaning
- neighbour liaison and complaints handling
- protection of trees, highways and adjoining property
Construction Environmental Management Plan (CEMP)
A CEMP focuses on environmental effects and how they will be controlled and monitored. It typically covers:
- dust and air quality, often by reference to IAQM guidance
- noise and vibration, usually by reference to BS 5228
- pollution prevention, drainage and spill response
- waste management
- ecology, protected species and biodiversity measures
- lighting and its effect on neighbours and wildlife
- monitoring, inspection and reporting
Since mandatory Biodiversity Net Gain came in during 2024, many permissions also ask for a CEMP: Biodiversity. This is a version focused on protecting habitats and species during construction, often prepared with the project ecologist.
Demolition variants: DCMP and DCEMP
Where existing buildings must be demolished, councils often ask for a Demolition and Construction Management Plan (DCMP) or a Demolition and Construction Environmental Management Plan (DCEMP). These add the demolition stage:
- demolition sequence and method
- asbestos survey findings and removal
- service disconnections
- noise, vibration and dust controls specific to demolition
- protection of party walls and adjoining structures
- how the site transitions from demolition to construction
Related documents
- Construction Traffic Management Plan (CTMP): focuses on vehicles and the highway. Common outside London.
- Construction Logistics Plan (CLP): the London standard, following Transport for London guidance, in outline and detailed versions.
- Dust or Air Quality Management Plan: sometimes required separately, sometimes as a section of a CEMP.
How to tell what your condition needs
Read the condition wording closely. It is the only thing the planning officer will test the document against. Check:
- the name of the document, and whether it says "including" a list of matters
- whether the condition is pre-commencement, pre-demolition or phased
- whether the council publishes a CMP template or Code of Construction Practice. Many London boroughs do, and expect it to be followed exactly.
- whether highways, environmental health or an ecologist will be consulted, because their comments drive revisions
If the condition is broad, one combined document that clearly addresses every listed matter usually works best. If several conditions ask for overlapping documents, it can be worth agreeing a single combined submission with the officer first.