Frequently asked questions
Everything you need to know about using the directory, whether you are looking for a specialist or managing your company profile.
For people planning a project
Is The Planning Review free to use?
Yes. Browsing the directory, comparing specialists and requesting quotes are completely free for people planning a project, and there is no obligation to proceed. Specialists pay an optional subscription to verify and enhance their own profiles, which is how the platform is funded.
Where does the information on specialist profiles come from?
Profiles are built from the public planning record. We collect planning applications published by local planning authorities, identify the consultants and specialists named on them, and cross-reference each company against Companies House.
What does the Verified badge mean?
The Verified badge means the company has claimed its profile and passed our verification checks. We confirm the claimant represents the firm by matching their email domain against trusted sources such as the company website and its planning history, and we check the company is registered and active at Companies House. Claims that cannot be verified automatically are reviewed manually by our team.
How do quote requests work?
Tell us about your project once: what you need, where the site is and how to reach you. We share your request with verified specialists whose experience matches your project, and they contact you directly with quotes. You compare and choose. There is no charge and no obligation.
Am I obliged to hire a specialist who sends me a quote?
No. Quotes are free and non-binding. You are under no obligation to appoint any specialist who contacts you, and you can compare as many quotes as you like before deciding.
What types of specialist can I find?
The directory covers more than 20 planning disciplines, including ecologists, arborists, flood risk consultants, heritage consultants, transport planners, acoustic consultants, drainage engineers, sustainability assessors and planning consultants.
For specialists and consultancies
Why does my company already have a profile?
Because your company appears in the public planning record. We build profiles from planning applications published by local planning authorities, so firms with a track record of planning work are listed automatically, the same way they appear in the planning register itself. You can claim your profile at any time to take control of it.
How do I claim my profile?
Search for your company on the claim page, confirm your details and submit the claim. If your work email matches the company website or its planning history, claims are usually approved automatically. Otherwise our team reviews them. Once approved, you can edit your profile, add projects and display the Verified badge.
My company is not listed. Can I join?
Yes. If your company does not yet appear in the directory, you can register it through the same claim flow. We look your company up at Companies House to confirm it exists, and you can add recent projects to demonstrate your track record.
I am a sole trader, not a limited company. Can I still be verified?
Yes. An active Companies House registration helps us fast-track verification, but it is not a requirement. Plenty of excellent specialists operate as sole traders and we want to champion them, not hold them back. Sole trader claims go through our manual review route, and once verified you get exactly the same visibility, badge and quote requests as any registered company.
What if I do not have a planning application to register with?
No problem. If you have a registered company and hold a qualification with a recognised professional body, we can still verify you. Create a free account, then raise a support ticket with your qualification certificate, your company details and your name, and our team will review your registration from there. Signing up first lets us check most of your credentials automatically, which speeds the review up.
What do I get by claiming and verifying my profile?
A higher search ranking, the Verified badge, visible contact details, quote requests from matching projects, and control of how your company appears: your own description, services, coverage areas, logo and showcase projects. You can also boost your visibility in chosen specialisms or regions.
How does the search ranking work?
Search results are ranked by relevance and trust. The strongest organic signal is your verified track record in the searched discipline, followed by verified status and how complete your profile is. Unverified profiles are capped to a small number of recent projects in search results, while verified profiles are matched on their full history and regularly updated with new application scans.
How much does it cost?
Appearing in the directory is free, because profiles are created from the public record. Claiming and verifying your profile is a paid subscription, with optional boost add-ons for extra visibility. Current pricing is shown during the claim process.
Something on my profile is wrong. How do I fix it?
If it is your company, the quickest route is to claim the profile and edit it directly. If you would rather not claim it, or the issue is on another profile, contact us and we will investigate and correct the record.