Planning drawings in London that get approved

Most loft conversions in London fall under Permitted Development rights if the extension stays under 40m³ for terraced homes or 50m³ for semi-detached and detached houses, uses matching materials, and is set back at least 20cm from the eaves. Where you qualify, we can secure a Lawful Development Certificate to prove it — useful when you sell. Flats, maisonettes, conservation areas, Article 4 areas and listed buildings generally need full planning permission instead. We confirm your eligibility at the site survey before any drawing work begins.

Planning drawings show what a building will look like — site location plan, block plan, proposed floor plans, elevations and sections — submitted to your local planning authority through the London borough's planning portal. Building regulations drawings show how it will be built — structure, insulation, Part L thermal performance, fire safety, ventilation and drainage — submitted to Building Control (LABC or an approved inspector). Most residential projects in London need both, and we prepare them as one coordinated package so nothing falls between the two approvals.

The fee is fixed before we start, so it never moves with the council's timeline, and it excludes the local authority's own application fee, which you pay the borough directly.

For most residential projects in London — loft conversions, rear and side-return extensions, renovations and change-of-use — a CIAT-affiliated architectural technologist delivers exactly the same planning and building control approvals as an architect, usually 30–40% cheaper. CIAT Affiliate carries the same statutory recognition as RIBA for planning and building regulations submissions. Architects add most value on bespoke, design-led schemes or Grade I/II* listed buildings. For a typical London extension or loft, an architectural technologist is the right call.

Once validated, a householder application takes 8 weeks for a decision across London, and around 13 weeks for larger or more complex schemes. Timelines drift in conservation areas and where an application is called to committee — boroughs like Camden, Westminster and Richmond upon Thames tend to scrutinise design more closely. Our own end-to-end lead time from instruction to submission is typically 3–4 weeks: one week for the measured survey, two weeks for drawings, one week for client revisions before we submit to your council.

Refusals are rare — we run a council-ready drawing review. If it happens, we offer a free resubmission addressing the officer's reasons, or we'll prepare an appeal to the Planning Inspectorate at 50% of our standard rate. Full refund policy is published on our pricing page.