Soho is characterised by georgian terraces, mixed-use, concentrated across W1D, W1F in the
Soho area. Soho rewards a survey-first approach: the georgian terraces rarely matches its own original drawings. Translated to the georgian terraces here: georgian rear elevations here are usually the listed or locally listed face of the building, so a glazed link and a lightweight rear addition tend to fare better than a full-width box. It is why the Soho existing set is measured, not traced. Massing on a Soho scheme is argued against the Carnaby Street street rhythm.
Before any W1D basement is drawn, note that Westminster basement policy restricts to single-storey, typically under 50% of rear garden footprint; lightwells and rooflights strictly controlled in conservation areas. We do not re-measure a W1D property for each stage of the job.
What the Soho drawing pack contains
Everything a Soho submission needs is in the list below.
- existing and proposed ground-floor plans for the Soho property
- proposed rear elevation
- long section through the extension
- site and block plans
- party wall position drawing
Streets and landmarks we survey around Soho
- Old Compton Street — front-to-back level changes that drive the Old Compton Street section drawings.
- Denmark Street — shared flank walls, so Denmark Street party structure notices go out before work starts.
- Gerrard Street — gardens deep enough for the 8 weeks householder route on a Gerrard Street plot.
- Hollywood Road — shared flank walls, so Hollywood Road party structure notices go out before work starts.
- Houston Street — roof profiles that set the ridge datum Westminster City Council measures a Houston Street dormer against.
- Shaftesbury Avenue — terraced rear elevations — the Shaftesbury Avenue party wall position is drawn first.
- Oxford Street — shared flank walls, so Oxford Street party structure notices go out before work starts.
- Soho Square — terraced rear elevations — the Soho Square party wall position is drawn first.
- Carnaby Street — massing on adjoining W1D plots is tested against it.
- Soho Square — Westminster City Council weighs W1D sightlines to it in the character assessment.
- Berwick Street Market — nearby georgian terraces takes its scale from this frontage.
- Manchester Grammar School — schemes in view of it attract closer officer scrutiny.
Getting to a Soho survey
Surveyors travel to W1D addresses from the studio; the nearest stations are
List of London Underground stations, Oxford Circus, Piccadilly Circus, Tottenham Court Road. Appointments are booked in Soho on weekdays and Saturdays,
and the measured survey of a standard georgian terraces takes two to three hours.
Where Soho sits
on Ordnance Survey grid reference TQ294810. That grid reference is not trivia — the Soho site location plan is drawn over it, and Westminster City Council validates the address against it. Source.
Practical detail for a Soho submission: List of London Underground stations and Oxford Circus and Piccadilly Circus and Tottenham Court Road put Soho within easy reach; W1D addresses are written to London; dialling code 020. Site plans are drawn to the address as Westminster City Council holds it.
Soho postcode coverage
We draw W1D (Soho), which Soho holds on its own; W1F (Soho), which Soho holds on its own addresses, and Westminster City Council validates each on the address itself.
Streets and stations in Soho
Soho instructions come from Old Compton Street, Denmark Street, Gerrard Street, Hollywood Road, Houston Street, Shaftesbury Avenue, Oxford Street and Soho Square among others. most Soho sites are within walking distance of List of London Underground stations or Oxford Circus or Piccadilly Circus.
Areas we cover around Soho
We survey across Roehampton (SW15), Clapham (SW4), Brixton (SW2, SW9), Herne Hill (SE24), Kennington (SE11), Streatham (SW16) as well as Soho itself, plus the Kensington and Chelsea side of the boundary.
