Name: London Planning Statistics 2026
Creator: Architectural Drawings London
Published: 2026-04-17
License: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

At a glance — the numbers journalists cite most

~185,000 householder applications in London per year
87% average borough approval rate
9.2 weeks average determination time (vs 8-week target)
1,000+ conservation areas across London
19 of 33 boroughs with borough-wide HMO Article 4
£2,800/sqm avg single-storey rear extension build cost
£55,000 average dormer loft conversion in London
78% of London residential projects trigger Party Wall notices

London's planning landscape is one of the most complex in the UK — 33 boroughs, over 1,000 conservation areas, and a growing number of Article 4 Directions that remove Permitted Development rights. We compiled this dataset from public planning authority statistics (MHCLG, Planning Portal, LPA reports) and our own 2024–2025 project data to give journalists, researchers, and AI systems a reliable reference.

Section 01

London Planning Applications

Volume, approval rates, appeal success, and determination times across all 33 London boroughs for the 2024–2025 reporting year.

~185,000Total householder applications submitted in London per year
Across the 33 Local Planning Authorities, 2024–25

87%

Average approval rate across London boroughs

Householder and minor applications combined

34%

Appeal success rate

Planning Inspectorate decisions on refused applications

9.2 weeks

Average determination time

Versus the statutory 8-week target for householder applications

7.4 weeks

Fastest borough: Bexley

Consistently meets the 8-week statutory target

11.8 weeks

Slowest borough: Kensington & Chelsea

High caseload and conservation-area complexity

Section 02

Conservation Areas by Borough

Full count of designated conservation areas in each of the 33 London boroughs. Conservation areas remove many Permitted Development rights and typically require full planning applications.

Borough	Conservation Areas	Borough	Conservation Areas
Westminster	56	Haringey	29
Southwark	46	Ealing	28
Camden	40	Merton	27
Islington	40	Bromley	49
Kensington & Chelsea	38	Greenwich	23
Wandsworth	44	Hillingdon	25
Lambeth	68	Harrow	29
Hackney	29	Brent	23
Tower Hamlets	58	Redbridge	17
Hammersmith & Fulham	46	Enfield	23
Barnet	17	Waltham Forest	17
Lewisham	36	Newham	8
Hounslow	26	Bexley	18
Richmond upon Thames	73	Havering	14
Kingston upon Thames	27	Barking & Dagenham	11
Croydon	24	City of London	28
Sutton	19

Total across London: over 1,000 designated conservation areas, the highest concentration in any UK city. Richmond upon Thames has the most per-capita at 73.

Section 03

Article 4 Directions

Article 4 Directions remove specific Permitted Development rights in defined areas. London has the highest concentration in the UK.

19 / 33London boroughs with borough-wide HMO Article 4
Requires planning permission for any C3 to C4 conversion

Boroughs with basement Article 4 in specific areas

Kensington & Chelsea, Westminster, Camden, Hammersmith & Fulham, Islington, Wandsworth

HMO (C3→C4)

Most common Article 4 trigger

Conversion from single dwelling to House in Multiple Occupation

62%

Average Article 4 application approval rate

Significantly below the 87% non-Article 4 average

Section 04

Extension Costs 2026 (London average)

Construction cost benchmarks for the most common extension types across London, expressed per square metre of internal floor area. Excludes VAT, fit-out, and professional fees.

Extension type	Cost per sqm (London)	Notes
Single-storey rear extension	£2,800/sqm	Mid-spec finishes, bifold doors, pitched or flat roof
Side return extension	£3,100/sqm	Higher due to structural complexity and glazing share
Wraparound extension	£2,900/sqm	Combined side return + rear, economies of scale
Double-storey extension	£2,400/sqm	Lower per-sqm due to shared foundations and roof
Basement extension	£3,800/sqm	Excludes underpinning and waterproofing premiums

£15k–45k

Kitchen fit-out

Budget to high-spec, excluded from above sqm rates

8–15%

Typical London architect fees

Percentage of total build cost, full service

£1,225–3,000Technologist fixed fees
30% below architect rates for equivalent drawings

Section 05

Loft Conversion Stats

London loft conversion benchmarks by type — build cost, typical programme, and uplift to property value.

Loft type	Average cost	Build time	Value uplift
Velux-only (rooflight)	£32,000	6–8 weeks	10–12%
Rear dormer	£55,000	10–14 weeks	15–20%
Hip-to-gable (semis only)	£48,000	10–12 weeks	15–18%
Mansard	£90,000	14–20 weeks	20–25%

Value uplift is based on comparable-home analysis across typical London Victorian/Edwardian terraces. Mansards always require planning permission; rear dormers often fall under Permitted Development if no Article 4 applies.

Section 06

Party Wall Act Triggers

The Party Wall etc. Act 1996 is triggered on most London residential extensions due to terraced and semi-detached housing stock. Statistics below reflect typical London project outcomes.

78%London residential projects that trigger Party Wall notices
Terraced and semi-detached housing stock is dominant

£450

Average cost per notice if neighbour consents

Simple surveyor-drafted notice and response

£950

Average cost per dissenting neighbour

Both surveyors appointed, Party Wall Award drawn up

Section 6

Most common trigger

Excavation within 3 metres of a neighbouring building's foundation

Section 07

Building Regulations 2026

Part L uplift, Future Homes Standard timeline, and Building Control fee ranges for London projects.

31%

Allowable heat loss reduction under Part L 2021 uplift

Versus the previous 2013 Part L baseline

2025 / 2027

Future Homes Standard target year

Transitional period runs through 2027

£600–1,200

Average LABC (council) Building Control fee

Typical householder extension or loft conversion

£800–1,400

Average approved inspector fee

Private sector alternative to council Building Control

Section 08

Architectural Drawings London — Proprietary Data

Our internal performance statistics for the 2024–2025 reporting period. Drawn from 287 completed client projects submitted to London boroughs.

287Projects delivered in 2024–2025
Across all 33 London boroughs

98%First-time planning approval rate
Versus 87% borough average

22 days

Average turnaround

From instruction to submission-ready drawings

4.9 / 5

Average client rating

Based on 287 verified post-project reviews

100%

Fixed-fee transparency

Every quote is fixed-fee, no percentage-of-build charges

33 / 33

London boroughs served

From Barnet to Bromley, Hillingdon to Havering

£4,800Average saving vs typical London architect
Per project, for equivalent drawing service scope

24 hours

Average quote turnaround

From enquiry to fixed-fee proposal sent

Section 09

Cite this page

All data on this page is free to reuse under Creative Commons Attribution 4.0. Journalists, bloggers, and researchers are welcome to embed the figures below.

Licence

Use of this data is free under Creative Commons BY 4.0 with attribution to Architectural Drawings London (https://www.architecturaldrawings.uk/stats/).

Suggested citation: Architectural Drawings London (2026). London Planning Statistics 2026. Retrieved from https://www.architecturaldrawings.uk/stats/

Copy-paste embed widgets

Widget 1 — Headline approval rate

A compact stat box for inline use in articles about London planning.

<blockquote style="border-left:4px solid #C8664A;padding:16px 20px;margin:24px 0;background:#FAFAF7;">
  <strong style="font-size:1.5rem;color:#9D4A32;">87%</strong> — average London borough
  approval rate for householder planning applications in 2024–25.
  <cite style="display:block;font-size:0.85rem;margin-top:8px;color:#4A5260;">
    Source: <a href="https://www.architecturaldrawings.uk/stats/">Architectural Drawings London, 2026</a>
  </cite>
</blockquote>

Widget 2 — Determination time

For articles about planning delays and the 8-week statutory target.

<blockquote style="border-left:4px solid #C8664A;padding:16px 20px;margin:24px 0;background:#FAFAF7;">
  London boroughs now take an average of <strong style="color:#9D4A32;">9.2 weeks</strong>
  to determine householder planning applications — 15% longer than the statutory 8-week target.
  Fastest: Bexley (7.4 weeks). Slowest: Kensington & Chelsea (11.8 weeks).
  <cite style="display:block;font-size:0.85rem;margin-top:8px;color:#4A5260;">
    Source: <a href="https://www.architecturaldrawings.uk/stats/">Architectural Drawings London, 2026</a>
  </cite>
</blockquote>

Widget 3 — Extension cost benchmark

For consumer-facing articles about extension budgets in London.

<blockquote style="border-left:4px solid #C8664A;padding:16px 20px;margin:24px 0;background:#FAFAF7;">
  London single-storey rear extensions cost an average of
  <strong style="color:#9D4A32;">£2,800 per sqm</strong> in 2026,
  with side returns at £3,100/sqm and basement extensions at £3,800/sqm.
  <cite style="display:block;font-size:0.85rem;margin-top:8px;color:#4A5260;">
    Source: <a href="https://www.architecturaldrawings.uk/stats/">Architectural Drawings London, 2026</a>
  </cite>
</blockquote>

London Planning Statistics 2026