Buying signals
Planning applications as sales leads
A planning application shows that building work may be coming, often long before anyone goes looking for suppliers. If you are a builder, a trade or a consultant, it tells you who to talk to early. Check who applied first, because UK email rules treat companies and individuals differently.
No card and no contract.
Last updated 30 October 2026
Who is it good for?
- Builders, contractors and specialist trades.
- Architects, surveyors and engineers.
- Fit-out, landscaping, security and signage firms.
- Anyone who supplies a new site once it opens.
What does a good lead look like?
- A company is the applicant, not a homeowner.
- The scale of the work suits your firm.
- It sits in the area you cover.
- It has been approved, or is likely to be, and work has not started.
How do you use one?
- Read the application and check who applied.
- Find the agent or the company behind it.
- Write one short email that names the site and what you do.
- Say why you are writing now, and offer one small next step.
What should you avoid?
- Emailing homeowners. UK rules treat them as individuals, who must usually agree first.
- Writing before you know the applicant is a company.
- Sounding as if you are watching them. Say plainly that planning applications are public.
How Opptix helps
Opptix reads UK planning applications, checks each against your trade and area, and checks that a lead is a company or a public body before a first cold email. If it cannot tell, the email waits for you. See Opptix for contractors and buying signals.
Frequently asked questions
Are planning applications public?
Yes. UK planning applications are published by local planning authorities.
Can I email the applicant?
If the applicant is a company, B2B email rules apply, usually with a clear identity and an easy opt-out. If it is a person, take more care. This is general information, not legal advice.
Does Opptix cover planning outside the UK?
Not yet. Planning is UK only so far.
See who is buying what you sell
Say what you sell and where you work. Opptix shows you the companies that fit, with the reason for each one.
The Free plan gives you 40 credits a month, with no card and no contract. Fully automatic sending starts on Standard, at £39 a month.