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Brick cottage with a tiled roof, chimneys and a front dormer window

Bromley, London

Change of use drawings in Bromley

Bromley took the most thorough route to protecting its commercial areas: it made and confirmed forty-six separate Article 4 directions, and the Secretary of State then trimmed them. Our change of use drawings in Bromley start from £879, and we read the modified maps against your address before you commit to a purchase.

From £679 drawings + £200 survey (£879 total), no VAT to add

  • MCIAT chartered
  • £2m PI insured
  • LABC Partnered
  • Fixed fees, no VAT to add

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We use it to check conservation areas and constraints.
Pick the council that decides your application.
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    Architectural model of a four-storey London stucco townhouse in its terrace, with a portico, area railings, sash windows, a cornice and chimney stacks
    The house as it stands: four storeys over a lower ground floor.Existing Proposed worksAn illustrative model, built for this page.

    How we work on change of use drawings

    Seven steps from first call to approval.

    The same model cut through the middle: every floor, the stair, the chimney breasts, the new mansard, rear extension and basement in section
    Section through the model: every floor on one datum.

    1. Enquiry and constraints check

      We check the property against conservation areas, listed status, Article 4 directions, tree preservation orders, flood zone and planning history. We choose the right route and send a fixed quote.

    2. Measured survey

      We survey the house on one datum: rooms, levels, boundaries, drains, trees and the neighbours' windows that the 45° and 25° tests depend on.

    3. Design options

      We model the house in Revit and show you options in 3D and plan, with the planning strategy and the precedents in your street.

    4. Design frozen

      You choose an option in writing. Nothing changes after this without your say.

    5. Independent check

      A second chartered technologist checks every sheet against the council's validation checklist and the policy. A senior review signs it off before anything is submitted.

    6. Submission

      We prepare the forms, certificates, fee and documents and submit through the Planning Portal.

    7. Officer liaison

      We answer the planning officer and make any amendments within five working days, at no charge until approval.

    Free redraws until approval. Every drawing set is checked independently, and the checker is never the person who drew it.

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    Forty-six directions, then modification

    The council's page records the set as 46 directions, modified by the Secretary of State, with the modified directions taking effect modified directions from 27 September 2023. They cover town centres, business improvement areas, office clusters, strategic industrial locations and other mapped areas, and the Secretary of State's modifications were issued in groups, each with its own maps.

    That structure means the answer for a given unit is not on one map. A shop on a high street, a unit on an industrial estate and an office in a cluster are each covered by a different direction, and the modified boundary can leave one in and one out.

    Where a direction still applies, a change from Class E to homes needs a full planning application. Elsewhere the national route stands: Class E to C3 by prior approval after 2 years' continuous Class E use, with 56 days for the council to decide.

    Rear view of brick terraced houses in London with slate roofs and chimney stacks along the shared roofline

    Local figures for Bromley

    Figures with their unit, period and source
    MeasureValuePeriodSource
    The council has made and confirmed 46 non-immediate Article 4 directions removing the Part 3 Class MA right (Class E to dwellings) in its town centres, business improvement areas, office clusters, strategic industrial locations and other mapped areas; the Secretary of State has since made directions modifying them in groups, so the modified maps apply.46 directions, modified by the Secretary of State—bromley.gov.uk, Council page: Article 4 Directions non-immediate to remove Class E to residential PD rights, opening paragraphs and modification list
    The modified directions come into effect on 27 September 2023; the original directions cover town centres, business improvement areas, office clusters, strategic industrial locations, the majority of locally significant industrial sites and a number of neighbourhood centres.modified directions from 27 September 2023—bromley.gov.uk, Council page: Article 4 Directions non-immediate to remove Class E to residential PD rights, modification list
    Bromley has an Article 4 direction removing permitted development rights for HMOs from 1 September 2022, and the council states that all proposed HMOs now require planning permission.from 1 September 2022—bromley.gov.uk, Council pages: HMO advice for landlords, and news item on council powers over HMOs, opening paragraph
    Sch 2 Pt 3 Class MA, para MA.1(1)(b)Class E to C3 by prior approval after 2 years' continuous Class E use—legislation.gov.uk
    Sch 2 Pt 3 para W(11)(c)56 days—legislation.gov.uk
    GPDO 2015 art 3(9A)Homes created under PD must meet the nationally described space standard—legislation.gov.uk
    Approved Document E 2003 incl. 2015, Table 0.1aSeparating walls 43 dB DnT,w+Ctr (min); floors and stairs 43 dB airborne (min), 64 dB L'nT,w impact (max) for dwellings formed by material change of use—gov.uk
    TCPA 1990 s55(3)(a)Using a single dwellinghouse as two or more dwellinghouses is a material change of use—legislation.gov.uk
    Change of use of a building to one or more separate dwellinghouses, not more than 10: per dwellinghouse, from 1 Apr 2026610 GBP per dwelling—ribblevalley.gov.uk
    Households living in a house68.6 % of households living in a house or bungalow (detached, semi-detached or terraced)Census 2021nomisweb.co.uk
    Green Belt share of the council area51 % of council area covered by green-belt polygons—planning.data.gov.uk
    Minor application decisions545 decisions1 July 2025 - 30 June 2026assets.publishing.service.gov.uk
    Minor applications granted70.3 %1 July 2025 - 30 June 2026assets.publishing.service.gov.uk
    Minor applications decided in time82.8 % decided within 8 weeks or an agreed extended period1 July 2025 - 30 June 2026assets.publishing.service.gov.uk
    Conservation areas47 named conservation areas published by the council—planning.data.gov.uk
    Article 4 directions108 Article 4 directions published by the council—planning.data.gov.uk

    A blank value means the figure has not been published, not that there are none. Check your own address with the council.

    Councils bordering Bromley
    Which application your project needsLawful Development Certificate decision: 8 weeks. Prior approval decision: 42 days. Householder decision: 8 weeksYour projectWithin permitted development?Lawful Development CertificatePrior approvalHouseholder applicationYesLarger rear extensionNoABC

    Which application your project needs

    The usual route for a house; flats and listed buildings follow other rules.

    A · Lawful Development Certificate decision
    8 weeks
    B · Prior approval decision
    42 days
    C · Householder decision
    8 weeks

    Planning is the only gate for shared houses

    For houses turned into shared lets, Bromley's control is also in planning: its HMO direction is from 1 September 2022, and the council has said licensing cannot be used to steer location. See HMO conversion drawings in Bromley.

    Splitting a house into flats is its own route, because Using a single dwellinghouse as two or more dwellinghouses is a material change of use. See flat conversion drawings in Bromley.

    Standards the layout must meet

    New homes must meet the space standard: Homes created under PD must meet the nationally described space standard. Between floors, Separating walls 43 dB DnT,w+Ctr (min); floors and stairs 43 dB airborne (min), 64 dB L'nT,w impact (max) for dwellings formed by material change of use.

    Bromley has 68.6 per cent of households in houses and Green Belt covers 51 per cent of the borough, so most conversions are shops with flats above and offices in the older town centres.

    The council's record and fees

    Bromley decided 545 minor applications in the latest published year, granted 70.3 per cent and decided 82.8 per cent in time. It has 47 conservation areas and publishes 108 Article 4 directions of all kinds.

    The fee to change a building to separate dwellings is £610 each in a scheme of not more than ten, paid to the council.

    Next steps

    For the borough overview see architectural drawings in Bromley. A lawful development certificate can settle an unclear existing use before design starts.

    What you receive

    Planning drawing sheet for a rear extension with plans, elevations and sections
    Sample drawing. Planning drawings for a rear extension: plans, elevations and sections on one sheet set.
    Pencil resting on a dimensioned technical drawing beside a scale rule
    The street around you
    Move across the plinth — the blocks rise around the pointer.

    Other services in Bromley

    Change of use drawings nearby

    Questions

    How many Class E Article 4 directions does Bromley have?

    The council records 46 directions, modified by the Secretary of State.

    What if my building falls outside the modified areas?

    The national route applies: Class E to C3 by prior approval after 2 years' continuous Class E use.

    Does Bromley control small HMOs?

    Yes, in planning: the direction is from 1 September 2022.

    Sources and dates

    City of London skyline glowing at dusk across the Thames under a dramatic orange sky

    Tell us about your property.

    We check the constraints, then send a fixed fee. Messages before 3pm get a reply the same working day.

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