Which postcode districts around City of London do we cover for permitted development scheme work?
Every City of London postcode district we draw in, the stock that dominates
it and the authority that validates a permitted development scheme there. City of London fees below are the
statutory England rates for 2026, not permitted development scheme estimates.
| Postcode | Area | Dominant stock | What it means for a permitted development scheme |
|---|
| EC1A | Smithfield | Mostly commercial, residential lofts | A permitted development scheme at an EC1A address in Smithfield is determined by City of London Corporation under its own Local Plan policies for Smithfield. |
| EC2Y | Barbican | Listed Brutalist apartments (Barbican Estate) | Barbican sits wholly inside EC2Y, so City of London Corporation validates every permitted development scheme submitted from an EC2Y address. |
| EC3N | Tower Hill / Aldgate | Very limited residential — Barbican Estate (listed post-war) | EC3N covers Tower Hill / Aldgate only; City of London Corporation handles the permitted development scheme. |
| EC4M | St Paul's | Mostly commercial, listed residential | St Paul's sits wholly inside EC4M, so City of London Corporation validates every permitted development scheme submitted from an EC4M address. |
| EC4V | Blackfriars | Very limited residential — Barbican Estate (listed post-war) | EC4V covers Blackfriars only; City of London Corporation handles the permitted development scheme. |
| EC4Y | Temple | Very limited residential — Barbican Estate (listed post-war) | Temple sits wholly inside EC4Y, so City of London Corporation validates every permitted development scheme submitted from an EC4Y address. |
| EC2A | Shoreditch | Warehouse conversions, modern infill | Shoreditch is split at EC2A. Either Hackney Council or City of London Corporation can determine a permitted development scheme here, so the EC2A address is checked against both policies maps first. |
How does a permitted development scheme differ street by street across City of London?
Roof pitch, wall build-up and plot depth change every few City of London
streets, and each one changes what a permitted development scheme can achieve at that address.
- Barbican (EC2Y) — Brutalist listed estate defines Barbican, where listed brutalist apartments (barbican estate) set what a permitted development scheme can do. Post-war stock here frequently sits inside an estate layout across EC2Y. Any Barbican permitted development scheme is validated by City of London Corporation, with Barbican Centre the usual Barbican reference point on the site plan.
- Smithfield (EC1A) — permitted development scheme work in Smithfield means mostly commercial, residential lofts. Smithfield is Georgian and Victorian commercial. Most applications on these Victorian streets are householder applications validated on existing and proposed plans throughout EC1A. City of London Corporation decides the Smithfield application, and Smithfield Market anchors the Smithfield location plan.
- Fleet Street (EC4) — Georgian and Victorian commercial defines Fleet Street, where mostly commercial, residential conversions set what a permitted development scheme can do. Most applications on these Victorian streets are householder applications validated on existing and proposed plans across EC4. Any Fleet Street permitted development scheme is validated by City of London Corporation, with Royal Courts of Justice the usual Fleet Street reference point on the site plan.
- St Paul's (EC4M) — a permitted development scheme in St Paul's starts from mostly commercial, listed residential, and St Paul's reads as Listed heritage commercial core. Most applications on these Victorian streets are householder applications validated on existing and proposed plans in EC4M. City of London Corporation assesses St Paul's permitted development schemes against its own St Paul's character guidance, and the location plan we draw for St Paul's references St Paul's Cathedral.
What local planning policy applies to a permitted development scheme in City of London?
How designation changes a City of London permitted development scheme: City of London Corporation maintains 27 conservation areas, including St Paul's, Barbican, Smithfield. Inside any of them a City of London permitted development scheme cannot rely on permitted development, and the route becomes a £548 householder application determined in 8 weeks rather than a £249 prior approval in 6 weeks. Whitefriars sets the tone for City of London casework.
City of London and Article 4: Multiple Article 4 Directions around office-to-residential, demolition, and shopfront changes. A permitted development scheme planned at a EC1A address is checked against that direction first; City of London Corporation publishes the City of London extent, and the EC1A line rarely follows the City of London boundary you would expect.
What City of London is built from: Very limited residential — Barbican Estate (listed post-war), Golden Lane Estate, modern luxury flats; overwhelmingly commercial. Overwhelmingly commercial; residential planning extremely constrained; one of the two highest listed-building densities in London. That mix decides the permitted development scheme route in City of London more than the postcode does.
Which neighbouring authorities border City of London?
- Islington — adjoining City of London, with 40 conservation areas centred on N1. A permitted development scheme on the far side of the City of London line is determined by Islington Council, so the City of London quote for permitted development schemes is checked against Islington guidance before it is issued.
- Hackney — adjoining City of London, with 29 conservation areas centred on E2. A permitted development scheme on the far side of the City of London line is determined by Hackney Council, so the City of London quote for permitted development schemes is checked against Hackney guidance before it is issued.
- Tower Hamlets — cross the City of London boundary and Tower Hamlets Council takes the permitted development scheme instead, applying 58 conservation areas of its own around E1. We re-price permitted development schemes at the City of London edge because Tower Hamlets policy and City of London policy rarely align on permitted development scheme depth.
- Southwark — the Southwark boundary runs against City of London, so a permitted development scheme a street from City of London is decided by Southwark Council instead. Southwark runs 43 conservation areas across SE1 and its neighbours, which is why permitted development schemes priced for City of London are re-checked against Southwark policy whenever the City of London address sits on that edge.
Sources for this City of London permitted development scheme 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.
