Architectural drawings in W9

Where in W9 does a drawing package actually get determined?

Every W9 postcode district we draw in, the stock that dominates it and the authority that validates a drawing package there. W9 fees below are the statutory England rates for 2026, not drawing package estimates.

What changes about a drawing package in each part of W9?

Roof pitch, wall build-up and plot depth change every few W9 streets, and each one changes what a drawing package can achieve at that address.

• Inside W9: Westbourne Green (W2, W9) — drawing package work in Westbourne Green means victorian terraces, mansion blocks. Westbourne Green is Victorian terraces and mansion blocks. Westminster City Council decides the Westbourne Green application, and Royal Oak anchors the Westbourne Green location plan.
• Inside W9: Maida Vale (W9) — a drawing package in Maida Vale starts from edwardian mansion blocks, victorian villas, and Maida Vale reads as Edwardian mansion blocks, canal-side. in W9. Westminster City Council assesses Maida Vale architectural drawings against its own Maida Vale character guidance, and the location plan we draw for Maida Vale references Little Venice.
• Bordering W9: Mayfair (W1J, W1K) — drawing package work in Mayfair means georgian townhouses, listed buildings. Mayfair is Georgian listed townhouses, luxury. Westminster City Council decides the Mayfair application, and Berkeley Square anchors the Mayfair location plan.
• Bordering W9: Belgravia (SW1X, SW1W) — white stucco Regency terraces defines Belgravia, where regency stucco terraces, listed buildings set what a drawing package can do. Any Belgravia drawing package is validated by Westminster City Council, with Eaton Square the usual Belgravia reference point on the site plan.
• Bordering W9: Marylebone (W1U, W1G, W1H) — a drawing package in Marylebone starts from georgian terraces, edwardian mansion blocks, and Marylebone reads as Georgian and Victorian terraces, mansion blocks. in W1U. Westminster City Council assesses Marylebone architectural drawings against its own Marylebone character guidance, and the location plan we draw for Marylebone references Marylebone High Street.
• Bordering W9: Pimlico (SW1V) — Regency stucco terraces, grid plan defines Pimlico, where regency terraces, post-war estates set what a drawing package can do. Any Pimlico drawing package is validated by Westminster City Council, with Tate Britain the usual Pimlico reference point on the site plan.
• Bordering W9: Soho (W1D, W1F) — Georgian fragments, mixed-use defines Soho, where georgian terraces, mixed-use set what a drawing package can do. Any Soho drawing package is validated by Westminster City Council, with Soho Square the usual Soho reference point on the site plan.
• Bordering W9: Covent Garden (WC2E, WC2H) — Georgian piazza, listed buildings defines Covent Garden, where georgian terraces, conversions set what a drawing package can do. Any Covent Garden drawing package is validated by Westminster City Council, with Royal Opera House the usual Covent Garden reference point on the site plan.
• Bordering W9: St John's Wood (NW8) — a drawing package in St John's Wood starts from victorian villas, mansion blocks, and St John's Wood reads as Victorian villas, mansion blocks. in NW8. Westminster City Council assesses St John's Wood architectural drawings against its own St John's Wood character guidance, and the location plan we draw for St John's Wood references Lord's Cricket Ground.
• Bordering W9: Bayswater (W2) — a drawing package in Bayswater starts from victorian stucco terraces, and Bayswater reads as Victorian stucco terraces. in W2. Westminster City Council assesses Bayswater architectural drawings against its own Bayswater character guidance, and the location plan we draw for Bayswater references Hyde Park.

What local planning policy applies to a drawing package in W9?

W9 (Maida Vale) conservation designations: there are 56 across Westminster City Council, Mayfair, Belgravia, Marylebone among them. Designation costs a W9 (Maida Vale) owner the permitted-development route: a drawing package then needs a £548 householder application over 8 weeks, in place of the £249 prior approval route that takes 6 weeks. Mayfair is the W9 (Maida Vale) designation that most often changes a drawing package design.

W9 (Maida Vale) and Article 4: Multiple Article 4 Directions — office-to-residential restrictions, HMO conversions, retail to residential in shopping zones. A drawing package planned at a W9 address is checked against that direction first; Westminster City Council publishes the W9 (Maida Vale) extent, and the W9 line rarely follows the W9 (Maida Vale) boundary you would expect.

Digging below a W9 (Maida Vale) property: Westminster basement policy restricts to single-storey, typically under 50% of rear garden footprint; lightwells and rooflights strictly controlled in conservation areas. Where a drawing package in W9 (Maida Vale) involves excavation that is read beside the Party Wall etc. Act 1996, which needs two months notice for a W9 (Maida Vale) dig within 3 m of a neighbour, and Westminster City Council expects the W9 ground conditions addressed in the application.

The building fabric around W9 (Maida Vale): Grand Georgian and Regency terraces in Belgravia and Pimlico; Victorian and Edwardian mansion blocks; heritage-rich townhouses throughout; very high listed building density. Heritage-first planning approach; listed buildings on almost every street; basement and rear extension policies particularly strict. A drawing package in W9 (Maida Vale) is scoped against that stock first, because it decides whether the scheme runs as permitted development, a £274 Lawful Development Certificate, or a full £548 application to Westminster City Council.

Who decides a drawing package on the edge of W9?

• City of London — adjoining W9 (Maida Vale), with 27 conservation areas centred on EC1. A drawing package on the far side of the W9 (Maida Vale) line is determined by City of London Corporation, so the W9 (Maida Vale) quote for architectural drawings is checked against City of London guidance before it is issued.
• Camden — cross the W9 (Maida Vale) boundary and Camden Council takes the drawing package instead, applying 40 conservation areas of its own around NW1. We re-price architectural drawings at the W9 (Maida Vale) edge because Camden policy and Westminster policy rarely align on drawing package depth.
• Kensington and Chelsea — adjoining W9 (Maida Vale), with 38 conservation areas centred on SW1. A drawing package on the far side of the W9 (Maida Vale) line is determined by RBKC Planning, so the W9 (Maida Vale) quote for architectural drawings is checked against Kensington and Chelsea guidance before it is issued.
• Wandsworth — cross the W9 (Maida Vale) boundary and Wandsworth Council takes the drawing package instead, applying 45 conservation areas of its own around SW8. We re-price architectural drawings at the W9 (Maida Vale) edge because Wandsworth policy and Westminster policy rarely align on drawing package depth.

Sources for this W9 drawing package page: borough policies maps and conservation-area registers (2025–26), Royal Mail postcode district boundaries, the Town and Country Planning (Fees for Applications) (England) Regulations, the Town and Country Planning (General Permitted Development) (England) Order 2015 as amended, and the Party Wall etc. Act 1996.