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Construction Management Plans in Westminster

Westminster adopted a completely rewritten Code of Construction Practice in May 2026 — it applies to new sites from 1 June 2026 and to existing sites from 1 September 2026. The new Code introduces four project levels, puts every basement formally in scope, and starts a 40-working-day approval clock before any work can begin. Much published guidance still describes the old 2016 Code; here is how the current system actually works.

Westminster’s 2026 Code of Construction Practice

The Code of Construction Practice (CoCP) is Westminster’s framework for managing construction impacts, secured through a pre-commencement planning condition. Every project is classified into one of four levels, which determines the documents required:

  • Level 1 — 100 or more new homes, or 10,000 sq m or more of floorspace: Site Environmental Management Plan (SEMP) plus signed Checklist A
  • Level 2 — 10 or more new homes, or 1,000 sq m or more of new build: SEMP plus signed Checklist A
  • Level 3 — any smaller development involving a new or extended basement of any size: Construction Management Plan (CMP) plus signed Checklist B
  • Level 4 — everything else: expected to follow the Code’s principles, with no formal approval or fees, though projects can be upgraded a level where impacts justify it

The Approval Clock: 40 Working Days Before You Start

The signed Appendix A checklist and the SEMP or CMP must be submitted to Westminster’s CoCP team at least 40 working days before any work — including site preparation — is scheduled to start. Environmental Sciences and Highways officers review the documents, the CoCP fee is paid, a Coordination Officer countersigns the checklist, and only then can the planning condition be discharged, which Westminster says can itself take up to eight weeks. The condition is discharged per phase (demolition, earthworks and piling, construction), and a Section 61 noise consent application must go in at least 28 days before commencement on larger schemes.

In practice this makes the CMP a programme-critical document: commissioned late, it is the item that stops a contractor mobilising. Westminster also requires neighbours and stakeholders to be notified at least three weeks before the SEMP or CMP is even submitted, so the communication plan has to move first.

Construction Working Hours in Westminster

Building work audible at the site boundary is permitted 8am–6pm Monday to Friday and 8am–1pm on Saturdays, with no working on Sundays or bank holidays. Piling, excavation and demolition are weekday-only — they are not permitted on Saturdays at all. Noisy works outside these hours need a Section 61 prior consent, granted only in exceptional circumstances, and all construction traffic must operate within the agreed site hours.

Basements in Westminster

Under City Plan Policy 50 (adopted January 2026), a basement application must be accompanied by a structural methodology statement self-certified by a suitably qualified engineer — and a signed draft Appendix A (Checklist B) from the Code of Construction Practice at application stage. After permission, the full CMP and final Checklist B follow through the pre-commencement process above. Every new or extended basement, of any size, is at least a Level 3 project under the 2026 Code, with fortnightly council inspections during the works.

Traffic, Cranes and Parking Suspensions

Every Westminster SEMP and CMP must contain a Traffic Management Plan: swept path analysis for the largest vehicles, a pedestrian management plan (with deliveries scheduled away from school run hours where needed), delivery vehicle numbers, crane positions and routes. Vehicles and drivers must meet CLOCS or FORS Silver as a minimum. The lead times matter as much as the content: temporary traffic orders for crane operations must be applied for at least 10 weeks ahead, parking bay suspensions need 10 working days’ notice, and highway licences for hoarding, scaffolding and structures are priced by road class and duration.

CoCP Fees

Westminster charges for the officer time each project consumes rather than a flat fee, paid before the checklist is countersigned. The published schedule estimates an average of 117 officer hours for a Level 3 basement project (including fortnightly site visits and CMP review), 289 hours for Level 2 and 448 hours for Level 1 — with current hourly rates confirmed by the council’s CoCP team on request. Highway licence and parking suspension fees are always additional.

How CMP Construct Helps in Westminster

CMP Construct prepares council-compliant Construction Management Plans across Westminster and more than 20 other London boroughs. We draft most plans within 7-10 working days, submit in the format Westminster City Council expects, and handle officer comments through to discharge of your condition. Where your condition also asks for a Construction Traffic Management Plan (CTMP) or a Construction Logistics Plan (CLP), we produce them as one consistent package. New to the process? Start with our complete guide to Construction Management Plans or see what a CMP costs.

Official Westminster Guidance

The council documents below set out Westminster City Council's own requirements. We work to these day to day; they are linked here so you can verify any requirement directly:

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need a Construction Management Plan in Westminster?

If your project involves a new or extended basement of any size, yes — it is a Level 3 project under Westminster’s 2026 Code of Construction Practice and needs a CMP with signed Checklist B, approved before work starts. Schemes of 10 or more homes or 1,000 sq m or more need the larger Site Environmental Management Plan (SEMP) with Checklist A instead. Smaller projects follow the Code’s principles without formal approval, though Westminster can upgrade a project a level where neighbours or sensitive uses would be significantly affected.

What changed in Westminster’s Code of Construction Practice in 2026?

The May 2026 Code replaced the 2016 version entirely, applying to new sites from 1 June 2026 and existing sites from 1 September 2026. Key changes include a four-level project classification with every basement formally in scope at Level 3, a 40-working-day pre-submission requirement, three weeks’ advance community notification before submission, continuous monitoring with near-real-time council data access on larger schemes, mandatory green hoardings for Levels 1 and 2, and a Site Waste Management Plan for any project over £300,000 in value.

How long does Westminster take to approve construction documents?

Plan backwards from your start date: the signed checklist and SEMP or CMP must reach Westminster’s CoCP team at least 40 working days (roughly two months) before work begins, discharge of the planning condition can take up to a further eight weeks if the checklist was not countersigned before submission, Section 61 applications need 28 days, and crane traffic orders need 10 weeks. On a basement or major scheme, commissioning the CMP the day permission is granted is the safe course.

What is a SEMP and how does it differ from a Westminster CMP?

Both are construction management documents under Westminster’s Code of Construction Practice; the difference is scale. A Site Environmental Management Plan (SEMP) is the fuller document required for Level 1 and 2 projects (10+ homes or 1,000+ sq m), with baseline noise surveys, continuous monitoring and Considerate Constructors Scheme registration. A CMP is the Level 3 document for smaller schemes with basements, covering methodology, programme, hours, noise, dust, traffic and neighbour liaison on Westminster’s template. We prepare both, matched to the level Westminster assigns your project.

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