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Southwark, London

Dormer loft conversion drawings in Southwark

Dormer loft conversion drawings for a Southwark house start at £695 including VAT. Southwark's Householder SPD sets a rear dormer 0.2 m back from the original eaves and keeps it off the street-facing slope, so the first drawing we do is the roof section that proves it.

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

    Southwark's own rules for dormer loft conversions

    The council's test is in section 3.6 of its Householder SPD, which supports the Southwark Plan 2022. For a rear dormer the first requirement is position: not on the slope facing the street, not above the ridge, and set back 0.2 m from the original eaves, measured along the roof plane rather than on plan.

    Inside a conservation area the guide tightens. The dormer must be symmetrical and sit 0.5 m ridge; 1 m eaves; 1 m sides, counted as clearance below the ridge, height above the eaves and distance in from the shared boundary and roof edge. Box dormers and oversized ones are ruled out there.

    That second test changes what a Southwark loft can hold. On a narrow terrace, setting a dormer in from both party walls and below the ridge leaves a modest window, so we model the roof first and tell you the achievable width before the design is fixed. Side dormers are a third case: they are not encouraged unless they are original or common in the street.

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

    Local figures for Southwark

    Figures with their unit, period and source
    MeasureValuePeriodSource
    Rear dormers should not be on the street-facing slope or above the ridge, and should be set back at least 0.2m from the original eaves measured along the roof plane.0.2 m—southwark.gov.uk, Householder SPD 2025, p.76, section 3.6.1
    In conservation areas rear dormers must be symmetrical, at least 0.5m below the ridge, 1m above the eaves and set in 1m from the shared boundary and roof edge; box or overly large dormers are not permitted.0.5 m ridge; 1 m eaves; 1 m sides—southwark.gov.uk, Householder SPD 2025, p.76, section 3.6.2
    Conservation areas53 named conservation areas published by the council—planning.data.gov.uk
    Article 4 directions480 Article 4 directions published by the council—planning.data.gov.uk
    Listed building entries919 list entries (Historic England, within the LPA boundary)—planning.data.gov.uk
    Grade II listed entries874 list entries—planning.data.gov.uk
    Households living in a house21.8 % of households living in a house or bungalow (detached, semi-detached or terraced)Census 2021nomisweb.co.uk
    Owner-occupied households28.9 % of households owner-occupied (owned outright or with mortgage/loan)Census 2021nomisweb.co.uk
    Householder decisions558 decisions1 July 2025 - 30 June 2026assets.publishing.service.gov.uk
    Householder applications granted94.8 %1 July 2025 - 30 June 2026assets.publishing.service.gov.uk
    Householder applications decided in time95.3 % decided within 8 weeks or an agreed extended period1 July 2025 - 30 June 2026assets.publishing.service.gov.uk
    Class B, para B.1(f)Class B roof enlargements are not permitted development on article 2(3) land—legislation.gov.uk
    Approved Document K 2013, para 1.13, Diagram 1.4Loft conversions where 2.0 m cannot be achieved: 1.9 m at the centre of the stair, 1.8 m at the side (half width)—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 Southwark

    Householder applications by street in Southwark

    Streets in Southwark with the most householder applications, and the share approved
    StreetApplicationsApproved
    Ivydale Road6098%
    Upland Road5192%
    Friern Road4695%
    Underhill Road3293%
    Landells Road2996%
    Crystal Palace Road2587%
    Melbourne Grove2491%
    Dunstans Road2391%
    Burbage Road2291%
    Turney Road22100%
    Hollydale Road21100%
    Court Lane1994%
    Harlescott Road19100%
    Henslowe Road19100%
    Barry Road18100%
    Counts of householder applications by street; no individual applications are shown. Streets with fewer than five applications are left out.Source: GLA Planning London Datahub, householder applications, all years held. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Contains OS data © Crown copyright and database right 2026.
    Loft enlargement in section: the permitted development limitsExtra roof volume allowed: 40 m³ (terrace house) / 50 m³ (any other house) additional roof volume. Set-back from the eaves: Original eaves maintained; enlargement set at least 0.2 m from the eaves measured up the roof slope, so far as practicable (not required for hip-to-gable or roofs joining a rear/side extension). Height limit: No part higher than the highest part of the existing roofABC

    Loft enlargement in section: the permitted development limits

    A dormer on the rear slope, with the limits that decide whether it needs planning permission.

    A · Extra roof volume allowed
    40 m³ (terrace house) / 50 m³ (any other house) additional roof volume
    B · Set-back from the eaves
    Original eaves maintained; enlargement set at least 0.2 m from the eaves measured up the roof slope, so far as practicable (not required for hip-to-gable or roofs joining a rear/side extension)
    C · Height limit
    No part higher than the highest part of the existing roof

    Who owns the roof in Southwark

    Only 21.8 per cent of Southwark households live in a house or bungalow, and 28.9 per cent own their home. A dormer is therefore open to owners of a whole house who hold the roof, and a flat needs a different conversation with the freeholder before any drawing starts.

    On a terrace the neighbours sit close on both sides. That makes the elevation drawing matter: it shows the dormer against the party walls and the ridge, which is how the council reads it.

    Conservation areas and Article 4 in the borough

    Southwark has 53 conservation areas, and a roof enlargement there is outside permitted development: Class B roof enlargements are not permitted development on article 2(3) land. The borough also publishes 480 Article 4 directions, which can remove other rights on streets that are not conservation areas at all.

    Because of that overlap we check the address against both layers before suggesting a route. A house that keeps its rights may qualify for a Lawful Development Certificate in Southwark. One that does not goes to householder planning on the same drawing set.

    Historic England lists 919 entries in the borough, 874 of them at Grade II. A listed house needs separate consent for roof changes.

    How Southwark has been deciding householder applications

    In its latest published year Southwark decided 558 householder applications and granted 94.8 per cent. Of those, 95.3 per cent were decided within eight weeks or an agreed extension.

    The numbers cover every kind of householder project, so they say nothing certain about a single roof. We use them to set expectations on timing, and we do not treat them as a forecast for your address.

    What the Southwark dormer set contains

    You receive the existing and proposed floor plans, the roof in section with the set-back dimensioned, all four elevations, and the location and block plans. The new stair is drawn to the loft standard: Loft conversions where 2.0 m cannot be achieved: 1.9 m at the centre of the stair, 1.8 m at the side (half width).

    The fee is £695 with VAT included, fixed before you commit. A second chartered technologist checks every sheet, and if the council asks for changes we redraw at no charge until approval. Our loft conversion drawings in Southwark page covers the plainer roof alternatives.

    Nearby boroughs and related drawings

    Next door the guides differ. Read how Lambeth measures its dormers, or compare Lewisham. If the roof form is wider than one dormer, see L-shaped dormer drawings in Southwark. For the whole borough, start at architectural drawings in Southwark, or read the national rules on the dormer loft conversion drawings hub.

    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.
    Slate-clad roof extension on a yellow-brick London terraced house
    Storey by storey
    Move up and down — the car travels between floors.

    Other services in Southwark

    Dormer loft conversion drawings nearby

    Questions

    How far back from the eaves must a Southwark dormer sit?

    Southwark's Householder SPD asks for a rear dormer to be set back at least 0.2 m from the original eaves, measured along the roof plane, and not to sit on the street-facing slope or above the ridge.

    What changes for a dormer in a Southwark conservation area?

    The SPD asks for a symmetrical dormer placed 0.5 m ridge; 1 m eaves; 1 m sides. Box dormers and overly large ones are not permitted. Roof enlargements there also need planning permission.

    Do I need planning permission for a dormer in Southwark?

    It depends on the address. Southwark has 53 conservation areas and 480 Article 4 directions. Outside them a dormer may be permitted development, which a Lawful Development Certificate can confirm.

    How much do dormer loft conversion drawings cost in Southwark?

    From £695 including VAT, fixed up front. The council's application fee is paid to the council separately.

    Sources and dates

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