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

Wandsworth, London

Change of use drawings in Wandsworth

Wandsworth's Article 4 page lists two change-of-use directions, one for offices and one for Class E premises, and the older one has been in force for years. Our change of use drawings in Wandsworth start from £879, and we confirm which direction, if any, touches the building you are buying.

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

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  • £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.
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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    What the council lists

    Under change of use, the council's page names a direction on offices to dwellinghouses and a further direction on Class E to dwellinghouses. The record we hold reads: offices to homes from 16 May 2018; Class E direction also listed. The page does not give a map in text, so the boundary has to be checked on the council's own plans.

    Where a direction applies, a change to homes needs a full planning application. Where none does, the national route is: Class E to C3 by prior approval after 2 years' continuous Class E use, with 56 days for the council to decide.

    That difference changes the programme and the price of the deal, so the map check comes before the survey.

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

    Local figures for Wandsworth

    Figures with their unit, period and source
    MeasureValuePeriodSource
    The council lists an Article 4 direction on change of use from offices (B1a) to dwellinghouses, in force from 16 May 2018, and a further direction on Class E to dwellinghouses.offices to homes from 16 May 2018; Class E direction also listed—wandsworth.gov.uk, Council page: Article 4 Directions, and confirmation notice for the B1a to C3 direction, change-of-use list; notice, date for the direction to come into force
    The council's Article 4 page lists conservation-area directions and two change-of-use directions (offices to dwellinghouses, and Class E to dwellinghouses); none removes the C3 to C4 right, so a small HMO is not caught by a Wandsworth HMO direction on that page.no HMO Article 4 direction listed—wandsworth.gov.uk, Council page: Article 4 Directions, change-of-use list
    On 1 July 2025 the council introduced selective and additional licensing schemes; additional licensing applies from that date to HMOs not already covered by mandatory licensing.additional licensing from 1 July 2025—wandsworth.gov.uk, Council page: Check if you need a property licence, scheme summary
    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 Sch 2 Pt 3 Class LC3 to C4 (and back) is permitted development unless removed by an Article 4 direction—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
    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 house31.4 % of households living in a house or bungalow (detached, semi-detached or terraced)Census 2021nomisweb.co.uk
    Green Belt share of the council area0 % of council area covered by green-belt polygons—planning.data.gov.uk
    Conservation areas46 named conservation areas published by the council—planning.data.gov.uk
    Listed building entries312 list entries (Historic England, within the LPA boundary)—planning.data.gov.uk
    Minor application decisions902 decisions1 July 2025 - 30 June 2026assets.publishing.service.gov.uk
    Minor applications granted86.7 %1 July 2025 - 30 June 2026assets.publishing.service.gov.uk
    Minor applications decided in time88.1 % 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 Wandsworth
    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

    Conversions in a borough of flats

    Wandsworth has only 31.4 per cent of households in houses, and Green Belt covers 0 per cent of it, which is none. Change-of-use schemes are mostly upper floors and former commercial units in town centres.

    Each new home 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.

    Houses to shared houses

    For a house turned into a shared let, the council's list shows no HMO Article 4 direction listed, so the national rule applies: C3 to C4 (and back) is permitted development unless removed by an Article 4 direction. Its additional licensing is additional licensing from 1 July 2025. See HMO conversion drawings in Wandsworth.

    The council's record

    Wandsworth has 46 conservation areas and 312 list entries. A full application is a minor one for most conversions: the council decided 902 in the latest published year, granted 86.7 per cent and decided 88.1 per cent in time.

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

    Next steps

    Compare flat conversion drawings in Wandsworth for splitting a house, and see architectural drawings in Wandsworth. The prior approval drawings page covers the permitted route.

    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 Wandsworth

    Change of use drawings nearby

    Questions

    Does Wandsworth have an offices-to-homes Article 4 direction?

    Yes: the council lists it, and our record reads offices to homes from 16 May 2018; Class E direction also listed.

    How long does prior approval take where it is available?

    The council has 56 days to decide.

    Do small HMOs need permission in Wandsworth?

    The council's list shows no HMO Article 4 direction listed; the national rule applies: C3 to C4 (and back) is permitted development unless removed by an Article 4 direction.

    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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