Planning Permission in London — A Borough-by-Borough Guide

Permitted development (PD) rights are a set of pre-approved classes of development defined in national legislation — specifically the Town and Country Planning (General Permitted Development) (England) Order 2015 and its amendments. Work that falls within PD limits can proceed without making a planning application to the local authority. Planning permission, by contrast, is a formal consent granted by the local planning authority for work that falls outside PD limits or where PD rights have been removed. PD rights cover many common residential works including single-storey rear extensions up to specified depths, loft conversions under specified volumes, and internal alterations. They do not override other consents — listed building consent and building regulations approval are separate.

An Article 4 direction is an order made by a local planning authority that removes some or all permitted development rights from a specified area or property type. They are commonly used in conservation areas, World Heritage Sites, and areas where the character of the built environment is considered to require protection. Where an Article 4 direction applies, works that would otherwise be PD require a full planning application. The direction can apply to an entire borough area, a specific conservation area, or even individual streets. You can check whether an Article 4 direction applies to your property on the local planning authority website or via the Planning Portal.

No. Permitted development rights for the types of residential extension and alteration described in this guide apply to houses only — not flats, maisonettes, or properties converted into flats. If you live in or own a flat, you will almost always need planning permission for any external alterations, extensions, or alterations to the building structure. This is one of the most common misunderstandings in residential planning in London.

A Lawful Development Certificate (LDC) is a formal confirmation from the local planning authority that proposed or completed works are lawful — either because they fall within PD or because a planning condition or restriction has been satisfied. It is not mandatory before starting PD works, but it is strongly advisable when selling the property (solicitors routinely request it) and where there is any ambiguity about whether the works are genuinely within PD. The application takes 8 weeks and costs approximately half of a full planning application fee. On balance, an LDC is nearly always worth obtaining before committing to a significant extension.

Conservation area designation adds an additional layer of control over permitted development rights. Specifically: demolition of a building or structure requires conservation area consent; cladding a building in stone, artificial stone, pebble dash, render, timber, plastic or tiles requires planning permission; extending a property beyond the rear wall may require permission even within PD depth limits; and Article 4 directions in conservation areas can remove essentially all PD rights. Conservation areas also affect the design quality expected by planning officers — proposals that comply technically but are considered harmful to the character of the area are frequently refused or required to be redesigned.

The Neighbour Consultation Scheme (sometimes called the larger home extension scheme) allows single-storey rear extensions of up to 8 metres on detached houses and 6 metres on semi-detached and terraced houses, subject to prior approval from the local authority. The standard PD depth limits are 4 metres (detached) and 3 metres (other). To use the larger depth, you must notify the local authority before work starts, who will then notify adjoining owners and give them an opportunity to object. If no objections are received, prior approval is typically granted. If objections are raised, the authority assesses the impact and may refuse. This is a useful route for extending beyond standard PD depths without a full planning application.