Which postcode districts around Tower Hamlets do we cover for permitted development scheme work?
Every Tower Hamlets postcode district we draw in, the stock that dominates
it and the authority that validates a permitted development scheme there. Tower Hamlets 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 |
|---|
| E1 | Whitechapel / Spitalfields | Warehouse conversions, modern infill | A permitted development scheme at an E1 address in Whitechapel / Spitalfields is determined by Tower Hamlets Council under its own Local Plan policies for Whitechapel / Spitalfields. |
| E1W | Wapping | Georgian terraces, warehouse conversions | Wapping sits wholly inside E1W, so Tower Hamlets Council validates every permitted development scheme submitted from an E1W address. |
| E2 | Bethnal Green | Warehouse conversions, modern infill | A permitted development scheme in Bethnal Green may land with Tower Hamlets Council or Hackney Council — E2 crosses the boundary, and the E2 policies map decides it street by street. |
| E3 | Bow | Victorian terraces, Georgian fragments | E3 covers Bow only; Tower Hamlets Council handles the permitted development scheme. |
| E14 | Canary Wharf / Poplar / Limehouse | Modern apartments | E14 covers Canary Wharf / Poplar / Limehouse only; Tower Hamlets Council handles the permitted development scheme. |
Which Tower Hamlets neighbourhoods suit a permitted development scheme best?
Roof pitch, wall build-up and plot depth change every few Tower Hamlets
streets, and each one changes what a permitted development scheme can achieve at that address.
- Stepney (E1) — a permitted development scheme in Stepney starts from victorian terraces, post-war estates, and Stepney reads as Victorian terraces, post-war estates. Most applications on these Victorian streets are householder applications validated on existing and proposed plans in E1. Tower Hamlets Council assesses Stepney permitted development schemes against its own Stepney character guidance, and the location plan we draw for Stepney references St Dunstan's.
- Spitalfields (E1) — a permitted development scheme in Spitalfields starts from georgian listed townhouses, and Spitalfields reads as Georgian listed townhouses, market quarter. Applications on Georgian stock here almost always need a heritage statement alongside the drawings in E1. Tower Hamlets Council assesses Spitalfields permitted development schemes against its own Spitalfields character guidance, and the location plan we draw for Spitalfields references Old Spitalfields Market.
- Whitechapel (E1) — Victorian terraces, mixed defines Whitechapel, where victorian terraces, post-war estates, new-build set what a permitted development scheme can do. Most applications on these Victorian streets are householder applications validated on existing and proposed plans across E1. Any Whitechapel permitted development scheme is validated by Tower Hamlets Council, with Whitechapel Gallery the usual Whitechapel reference point on the site plan.
- Bethnal Green (E2) — Victorian terraces, post-war estates defines Bethnal Green, where victorian terraces, post-war estates set what a permitted development scheme can do. Most applications on these Victorian streets are householder applications validated on existing and proposed plans across E2. Any Bethnal Green permitted development scheme is validated by Tower Hamlets Council, with Victoria Park the usual Bethnal Green reference point on the site plan.
- Bow (E3) — a permitted development scheme in Bow starts from victorian terraces, georgian fragments, and Bow reads as Victorian terraces, Georgian fragments. Applications on Georgian stock here almost always need a heritage statement alongside the drawings in E3. Tower Hamlets Council assesses Bow permitted development schemes against its own Bow character guidance, and the location plan we draw for Bow references Bow Bells.
- Mile End (E1, E3) — a permitted development scheme in Mile End starts from victorian terraces, post-war estates, and Mile End reads as Victorian terraces, post-war estates. Most applications on these Victorian streets are householder applications validated on existing and proposed plans in E1. Tower Hamlets Council assesses Mile End permitted development schemes against its own Mile End character guidance, and the location plan we draw for Mile End references Mile End Park.
- Wapping (E1W) — permitted development scheme work in Wapping means georgian terraces, warehouse conversions. Wapping is Georgian fragments, warehouse conversions. Applications on Georgian stock here almost always need a heritage statement alongside the drawings throughout E1W. Tower Hamlets Council decides the Wapping application, and St Katharine Docks anchors the Wapping location plan.
What local planning policy applies to a permitted development scheme in Tower Hamlets?
Conservation areas covering Tower Hamlets: Tower Hamlets Council runs 58, and Whitechapel Market, Fournier Street, Tredegar Square are the ones Tower Hamlets owners meet most. A permitted development scheme inside a Tower Hamlets conservation area loses permitted development, so the Tower Hamlets submission is a householder application at £548 decided in 8 weeks — not a £249 prior approval decided in 6 weeks. In Tredegar Square a permitted development scheme is judged on the street elevation first.
Article 4 and your Tower Hamlets permitted development scheme: Article 4 for HMOs borough-wide; additional Article 4 covering office-to-residential in Canary Wharf and City Fringe. At a E1 address that matters twice over, because Tower Hamlets Council applies the direction unevenly across Tower Hamlets — we read the Tower Hamlets policies map for the exact E1 address before quoting permitted development schemes.
What Tower Hamlets is built from: Georgian in Spitalfields and Wapping; Victorian industrial conversions; extensive post-war social housing; modern high-density towers in Canary Wharf and Aldgate. High heritage value in pockets (Spitalfields, Wapping), mixed with substantial regeneration areas; active planning committee. That mix decides the permitted development scheme route in Tower Hamlets more than the postcode does.
Who decides a permitted development scheme on the edge of Tower Hamlets?
- Hackney — cross the Tower Hamlets boundary and Hackney Council takes the permitted development scheme instead, applying 29 conservation areas of its own around E2. We re-price permitted development schemes at the Tower Hamlets edge because Hackney policy and Tower Hamlets policy rarely align on permitted development scheme depth.
- Newham — cross the Tower Hamlets boundary and Newham Council takes the permitted development scheme instead, applying 10 conservation areas of its own around E6. We re-price permitted development schemes at the Tower Hamlets edge because Newham policy and Tower Hamlets policy rarely align on permitted development scheme depth.
- City of London — the City of London boundary runs against Tower Hamlets, so a permitted development scheme a street from Tower Hamlets is decided by City of London Corporation instead. City of London runs 27 conservation areas across EC1 and its neighbours, which is why permitted development schemes priced for Tower Hamlets are re-checked against City of London policy whenever the Tower Hamlets address sits on that edge.
- Southwark — the Southwark boundary runs against Tower Hamlets, so a permitted development scheme a street from Tower Hamlets is decided by Southwark Council instead. Southwark runs 43 conservation areas across SE1 and its neighbours, which is why permitted development schemes priced for Tower Hamlets are re-checked against Southwark policy whenever the Tower Hamlets address sits on that edge.
Sources for this Tower Hamlets 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.
