Guide to Development Rights for Home Extensions in London

Nowadays, its cheaper to extend than to move!

This is an ever apparent fact!

Whether you want to carry out simple repair work to your existing home or are planning to carry out major engineering to a house you intend to buy or own, understanding your Permitted Development Rights, comes in handy.

Earlier in the year we touched on permitted development rights for home extensions, but we thought this element of construction should be explored in a little more detail to assist our customers in their decision making.

PD can be granted as General Development Planning Order (GDPO) which have different region-wide applications across Northern Ireland, Wales, England and Scotland. These orders act as an implied consent to carry out certain types of development in your home.

Here’s a brief look at the rules of PD and the improvements, home extensions and outbuildings permitted:

Development Rights for home extensions in London

Home Extensions Permitted

  • Detached dwelling up to 8m in the rear if the home is single storey (3m, if double)
  • Height restriction on all single storey extensions to only 4m
  • Two storey extensions should be no closer than 7m towards the rear boundary
  • No extensions covering more than half of the garden size are permitted
  • Side extensions for single storey must not be more than 4m in height with a pitched roof

  • Side extensions for single storey must not be more than half the size of the original building

Simple Improvements Allowed

  • Constructing a front porch
  • Occupy and convert any loft space
  • Conduct internal alterations
  • Put up satellite dishes
  • Install micro-generation equipment (including solar panels, but not wind turbines)
  • Set up an antenna
  • Extend the back area of your home
  • Install new doors, windows, roof-lights and dormer windows
  • All designs are subject to constraints laid down in the Permit Sheet
Development Rights for home extensions

Outbuildings Permitted

  • All outbuildings that stay within 50% of your garden space are permitted
  • Outbuildings must be single storey
  • They must have a maximum ridge height of 4m (pitched roof) or 3m (any other roof)
  • The eaves must not be more than 2.5 meters in height
  • If the outbuilding is closer than 2m to the boundary wall, it cannot be higher than 2.5m
  • No outbuilding shall be in front of the original home design
  • No outbuilding shall be in front of the original home design

The word “original” used in PD rules implies the state of property that existed on or before 1948 on the original survey OS map.

Any original rear wall of the detached home can be extended by up to 8m in depth (for single storey constructions).

Single storey rear extensions must not be higher than 4m. However, if your proposed extension is within 2m of a boundary wall, the eaves’ height will be limited to 3m under the rules of PD.

Hence, before planning any constructions and home extensions, you must acquaint yourself with all the relevant PD rules. Give us a call today for assistance!

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