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Westminster, London

Change of use drawings in Westminster

Westminster has withdrawn the shop-and-office-to-home right twice, once for the Central Activities Zone and once for the rest of the city, and the two directions have different histories. Our change of use drawings in Westminster start from £879, and we tell you which direction your building sits under before you plan a layout.

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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    Two directions, two histories

    The council's Article 4 page lists a direction for the Central Activities Zone, recorded as Central Activities Zone, made 14 July 2021, modified 22 July 2022. The Secretary of State modified it, so the boundary you need is the modified one, not the first map.

    A second direction covers the area outside the zone and is recorded as outside the CAZ, made 3 December 2021, confirmed 5 December 2022. A building just outside the line has a different set of dates and a different map.

    In either area, a change from Class E to homes needs a full planning application. Elsewhere the national route is open: Class E to C3 by prior approval after 2 years' continuous Class E use.

    Rows of brick terraced houses and gardens on a residential street

    Local figures for Westminster

    Figures with their unit, period and source
    MeasureValuePeriodSource
    A Class E to dwellinghouse (C3) Article 4 direction covers the Central Activities Zone: made on 14 July 2021 and modified by the Secretary of State on 22 July 2022.Central Activities Zone, made 14 July 2021, modified 22 July 2022—westminster.gov.uk, Council page: Article 4 Directions in Westminster, Class E to C3 in the CAZ
    A second Class E to dwellinghouse (C3) direction covers the area outside the Central Activities Zone: made on 3 December 2021 and confirmed on 5 December 2022.outside the CAZ, made 3 December 2021, confirmed 5 December 2022—westminster.gov.uk, Council page: Article 4 Directions in Westminster, Class E to C3 outside the CAZ
    The council's list of Article 4 directions covers basements, Class E to dwellings (inside and outside the Central Activities Zone), conservation-area alterations and estate agent boards; it lists no direction removing the C3 to C4 right, so a small HMO is not caught by a Westminster HMO direction.no HMO Article 4 direction listed—westminster.gov.uk, Council page: Article 4 Directions in Westminster (last updated 13 November 2025), list of directions
    The renewed borough-wide Additional Licensing Scheme for HMOs was designated on 21 April 2026; the council's page says it comes into effect on 31 August 2026 and runs until 30 August 2031. Operating a licensable HMO without a licence is a criminal offence.31 August 2026 to 30 August 2031—westminster.gov.uk, Council page: Additional licensing scheme renewal, 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 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 house10.2 % of households living in a house or bungalow (detached, semi-detached or terraced)Census 2021nomisweb.co.uk
    Conservation areas56 named conservation areas published by the council—planning.data.gov.uk
    Listed building entries4,015 list entries (Historic England, within the LPA boundary)—planning.data.gov.uk
    Minor application decisions1,766 decisions1 July 2025 - 30 June 2026assets.publishing.service.gov.uk
    Minor applications granted85.8 %1 July 2025 - 30 June 2026assets.publishing.service.gov.uk
    Minor applications decided in time83.6 % 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 Westminster
    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

    Prior approval still has a place

    Where Class MA applies, the council has 56 days to decide, and can look only at the matters the Order lists. A commercial unit with two years of continuous Class E use is a candidate, but only if the address is outside both directions.

    Our prior approval drawings page shows what a complete submission contains. We check the use history first, because an empty or split unit can fail the continuous-use test.

    Flats, houses and shared lets

    Westminster has only 10.2 per cent of households living in houses, so most change-of-use jobs are floors of mixed-use buildings. Each new unit must meet the space standard: Homes created under PD must meet the nationally described space standard.

    Sound between floors is the usual surprise in older mixed-use buildings: 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.

    For a house or flat turned into a shared let, the council's Article 4 list shows no HMO Article 4 direction listed, and its renewed licensing scheme runs 31 August 2026 to 30 August 2031. See HMO conversion drawings in Westminster.

    Heritage and the council's record

    The city has 56 conservation areas and 4,015 list entries. A listed building usually needs consent for internal changes as well as the change of use.

    A full application is a minor one for most conversions: Westminster decided 1,766 in the latest published year, granted 85.8 per cent and decided 83.6 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

    For self-contained flats compare flat conversion drawings in Westminster, and see architectural drawings in Westminster for the wider service.

    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.
    Georgian brick terrace with sash windows, arched fanlight doorways, stone steps and iron railings in London
    The street around you
    Move across the plinth — the blocks rise around the pointer.

    Other services in Westminster

    Change of use drawings nearby

    Questions

    Do Westminster's directions cover all of the city?

    There are two. The central zone is recorded as Central Activities Zone, made 14 July 2021, modified 22 July 2022, and the area outside it as outside the CAZ, made 3 December 2021, confirmed 5 December 2022.

    What is the national route where no direction applies?

    Class E to C3 by prior approval after 2 years' continuous Class E use.

    How long has the council to decide prior approval?

    56 days.

    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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