Planning Permission in City of London: 2026 Guide

Planning in City of London — what you need to know

The City of London took five householder planning decisions in three years (MHCLG planning statistics, retrieved 1 September 2026). Five. That is below the threshold at which any percentage can responsibly be published, and it is the most honest description of residential planning here: the City is a commercial district with a resident population of a few thousand, and householder work is close to non-existent. If you own a home here it is almost certainly a flat, and almost certainly in a listed or designated building.

Overwhelmingly commercial; residential planning extremely constrained; one of the two highest listed-building densities in London. The borough has a population of approximately 11,000 residents and covers postcodes EC1, EC2, EC3, EC4.

The housing stock in City of London is predominantly very limited residential — Barbican Estate (listed post-war), Golden Lane Estate, modern luxury flats; overwhelmingly commercial. This mix of property types means that City of London Corporation deals with a wide range of applications, from rear extensions on terraced houses to loft conversions on semi-detached properties and full refurbishments of period homes in conservation areas.

With 27 designated conservation areas and active Article 4 Directions, City of London has a relatively controlled planning environment where Permitted Development rights may be restricted in many areas.

At Architectural Drawings London, we prepare planning drawings and building regulations drawings for properties across all City of London postcodes. Our MCIAT chartered architectural technologists have experience with City of London Corporation and understand the specific policies, design guides, and precedents that apply in City of London.

Article 4 Directions in City of London

City of London has Article 4 Directions in place that remove certain Permitted Development rights. Multiple Article 4 Directions around office-to-residential, demolition, and shopfront changes.

Article 4 Directions are used by councils to protect the character of an area by requiring planning permission for changes that would otherwise be permitted. If your property is affected by an Article 4 Direction in City of London, you will need to submit a full planning application even for works that would normally fall under Permitted Development. The council fee for a householder application is £548, and we prepare the necessary drawings and supporting documents.

It is important to note that Article 4 Directions in City of London are separate from conservation area restrictions. A property can be affected by both, and in practice many Article 4 areas overlap with conservation areas. We check the specific restrictions affecting your property as part of our initial assessment.

Conservation areas in City of London

City of London has 27 designated conservation areas. Notable conservation areas include:

• Barbican
• Smithfield
• Fleet Street
• Whitefriars
• St Paul's

In conservation areas, Permitted Development rights are more restricted than in non-designated areas. Key restrictions include:

• No cladding, stone, artificial stone, pebble dash, render, timber, plastic, or tile to any external wall without planning permission
• No side extensions under Permitted Development
• Rear extensions are limited and may require planning permission
• Dormer loft conversions facing the highway require planning permission
• Satellite dishes on front elevations or chimneys are not permitted
• Demolition of gates, walls, fences, or other boundary treatment requires planning permission

Twenty-seven conservation areas and an Article 4 Direction across a single square mile, with the highest listed building density of any London borough. Permitted development is effectively irrelevant here on two counts: flats have no such rights to begin with, and the designations would remove them anyway. The Corporation issued 55 lawful development certificates in three years, the fewest in London (MHCLG planning statistics, retrieved 1 September 2026), which is what that adds up to in practice.

Popular projects in City of London

The Barbican and Golden Lane estates are listed post-war architecture, which puts internal alterations inside a listed building consent regime that most flat owners do not expect. Beyond them the residential stock is modern apartments in predominantly commercial buildings. Of 1,352 planning decisions the Corporation took in three years, 97.3% were approved — the highest rate in London (MHCLG planning statistics, retrieved 1 September 2026) — because the applications are overwhelmingly commercial schemes brought by people who pre-negotiate them.

Flat conversions and internal alterations

With mansion blocks and converted flats forming part of City of London's housing stock, internal layout changes and flat conversions are common projects. While internal alterations rarely need planning permission, converting a house to flats (C3 to C4 HMO) or vice versa may require planning approval, particularly given City of London's Article 4 Direction covering HMO conversions. We can prepare the necessary floor plans, elevations, and supporting documents for flat conversion applications in City of London.

How much do planning drawings cost in City of London?

The council charge is the least of it. On a Barbican or Golden Lane flat the binding requirements are listed building consent and the landlord's licence to alter, and both take longer than a planning decision. The Corporation agreed an extension of time on 76.0% of its decisions (MHCLG planning statistics, retrieved 1 September 2026), by a wide margin the highest share in London, so nothing here runs to a standard timetable. We scope every consent before quoting a fixed fee.

We include a measured survey, existing and proposed plans, elevations, and a site plan — everything required for a valid planning submission to City of London Corporation. Our fees are 30% below typical London architect rates for the same scope of work.

Neither form of Lawful Development Certificate has much purchase in the City. Permitted development rights attach to dwellinghouses, and the residential stock here is flats - the Corporation issued 55 certificates in three years (MHCLG planning statistics, retrieved 1 September 2026), the fewest in London. Listed building consent is the document that governs alterations to a Barbican or Golden Lane flat.

Our experience in City of London

We cover all City of London postcodes: EC1, EC2, EC3, EC4. Whether your property is in a conservation area, affected by an Article 4 Direction, or in an unrestricted residential street, we have experience with City of London Corporation and understand the borough's planning policies.

Our MCIAT chartered architectural technologists prepare planning drawings and building regulations drawings for residential projects across City of London. We handle the full process from initial measured survey through to planning submission, and we liaise with City of London Corporation on your behalf.

We also work in City of London's neighbouring boroughs:

Frequently asked questions