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Rows of brick terraced houses and gardens on a residential street

Richmond upon Thames, London

Change of use drawings in Richmond upon Thames

Richmond upon Thames protects its shops and workspace through one Article 4 direction that the Secretary of State cut down to a defined list of areas. Our change of use drawings in Richmond upon Thames start from £879, and the first job is to see whether your building is on that list.

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.
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A few lines: what you want to build, and anything the council has already said.
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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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    The direction as it now stands

    The council's page records the dates as confirmed 21 June 2022; modified direction from 29 July 2022. It says the direction was modified by the Secretary of State and is now restricted to the smaller areas on its maps.

    The council still considers it effective, because it covers 62 areas: areas within the five town centres, local and neighbourhood centres, local parades and key business areas such as industrial estates and business parks. Those are the places where an investor looks first.

    In those areas a change from a shop or office to homes needs planning permission and is judged against the Local Plan. Outside them, the national route is open: Class E to C3 by prior approval after 2 years' continuous Class E use.

    Georgian brick terrace with sash windows, arched fanlight doorways, stone steps and iron railings in London

    Local figures for Richmond upon Thames

    Figures with their unit, period and source
    MeasureValuePeriodSource
    The council confirmed its Class E to dwellings (Class MA) Article 4 direction at committee on 21 June 2022; the Secretary of State modified it, and the modified direction came into force on 29 July 2022.confirmed 21 June 2022; modified direction from 29 July 2022—richmond.gov.uk, Council page: Article 4 Directions, commercial, business and service use to residential, direction summary
    As modified, the direction covers 62 areas across the borough where the main concentrations of commercial and business uses are located: areas within the five town centres, local and neighbourhood centres, local parades, and key business areas including industrial estates and business parks.62 areas—richmond.gov.uk, Council page: Article 4 Directions, commercial, business and service use to residential, modified areas 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
    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
    Conservation areas85 named conservation areas published by the council—planning.data.gov.uk
    Listed building entries819 list entries (Historic England, within the LPA boundary)—planning.data.gov.uk
    Green Belt share of the council area2 % of council area covered by green-belt polygons—planning.data.gov.uk
    Minor application decisions324 decisions1 July 2025 - 30 June 2026assets.publishing.service.gov.uk
    Minor applications granted75.3 %1 July 2025 - 30 June 2026assets.publishing.service.gov.uk
    Minor applications decided in time94.8 % decided within 8 weeks or an agreed extended period1 July 2025 - 30 June 2026assets.publishing.service.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 Richmond upon Thames
    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

    Why a parade is the hard case

    A unit in a local parade may be in or out, depending on how the modified map was drawn. We locate the unit on the map, record the result with the date, and tell you in writing before you rely on the permitted route.

    Where prior approval is available, the council has 56 days to decide. Our prior approval drawings page lists what a submission needs.

    Heritage and houses

    Richmond has 85 conservation areas and 819 list entries, so a conversion often needs a second consent for external works. Only 2 per cent of the borough is mapped as Green Belt in the national data.

    Splitting a house into flats is its own route: Using a single dwellinghouse as two or more dwellinghouses is a material change of use. See flat conversion drawings in Richmond upon Thames.

    Standards and the council's record

    New homes must meet the space standard: Homes created under PD must meet the nationally described space standard. The council decided 324 minor applications in the latest published year, granted 75.3 per cent and decided 94.8 per cent in time.

    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 Richmond upon Thames.

    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.
    Brick cottage with a tiled roof, chimneys and a front dormer window
    The street around you
    Move across the plinth — the blocks rise around the pointer.

    Other services in Richmond upon Thames

    Change of use drawings nearby

    Questions

    When did Richmond's modified Class E direction take effect?

    The council records: confirmed 21 June 2022; modified direction from 29 July 2022.

    How many areas does it cover?

    62 areas.

    What if my building is outside those areas?

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

    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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