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Hackney, London

Double-storey extension drawings in Hackney

Double-storey extension drawings for a Hackney house start at £1,295 including VAT. Hackney's residential extensions guidance sets the terms plainly: anything above a single storey is only approved where it reflects the area's dominant character, and it must sit one storey below eaves.

From £1,295 (VAT included)

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    Two-storey rear extension under construction on a semi-detached house

    Hackney's double-storey extension rules

    The source is the council's Residential extensions and alterations SPD, which supports the Hackney Local Plan 2033 (LP33). Its section on extensions above one storey says they are only approved where they reflect the area's dominant character, and that they should be set a storey below the eaves. The guide's own example is an extension at half the width of the house at first floor.

    For a two-storey side extension it adds three dimensions. The guide's dimensions are: 1 m boundary; 500 mm set-back. The extension is also no wider than half the house, and stays a full storey below the eaves. A semi-detached house in Hackney therefore gains less width at first floor than a quick sketch suggests, and the stepped profile is deliberate.

    We draw the set-backs on the first-floor plan and the front elevation and measure them against the dimensions above, so the officer can check compliance from the drawings without a site visit. If the house is a terrace end, we show the side elevation as well, since that is where the width limit and the boundary gap are judged. Where a design cannot meet the guide, we say so at the options stage, before you pay for a full drawing set.

    House extension under construction with scaffolding, new glazed doors and building materials

    Local figures for Hackney

    Figures with their unit, period and source
    MeasureValuePeriodSource
    Extensions above a single storey are only approved where they reflect the area's dominant character and must be set a storey below the eaves (e.g. half width at first floor).one storey below eaves—drive.google.com, Residential Extension and Alterations SPD 2025, p.32, para 3.6 and Figure 3.6
    Two storey side extensions should be set back 1 metre from the side boundary and 500mm from the building line, be no wider than half the house, and sit a full storey below the eaves.1 m boundary; 500 mm set-back—drive.google.com, Residential Extension and Alterations SPD 2025, p.35, Design principles: two storey side extension
    Supplementary planning documentResidential extensions and alterations SPD2025hackney.gov.uk
    Conservation areas37 named conservation areas published by the council—planning.data.gov.uk
    Article 4 directions77 Article 4 directions published by the council—planning.data.gov.uk
    Listed building entries555 list entries (Historic England, within the LPA boundary)—planning.data.gov.uk
    Householder decisions415 decisions1 July 2025 - 30 June 2026assets.publishing.service.gov.uk
    Householder applications granted84.6 %1 July 2025 - 30 June 2026assets.publishing.service.gov.uk
    Householder applications decided in time91.3 % decided within 8 weeks or an agreed extended period1 July 2025 - 30 June 2026assets.publishing.service.gov.uk
    Domestic gardens share of land (GLUD 2005)18.5 % of land that is domestic garden (GLUD 2005)2005data.london.gov.uk
    Class A, para A.1(h)Over one storey: max 3 m beyond the original rear wall and not within 7 m of the rear boundary—legislation.gov.uk
    Class A, para A.2(c)No rear extension of more than one storey under PD on article 2(3) land—legislation.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 Hackney

    Householder applications by street in Hackney

    Streets in Hackney with the most householder applications, and the share approved
    StreetApplicationsApproved
    Winston Road5288%
    Osbaldeston Road3969%
    Rushmore Road3783%
    Forburg Road3165%
    Olinda Road3171%
    Durlston Road3089%
    Powerscroft Road3093%
    Brooke Road2874%
    Elderfield Road2580%
    Glyn Road25100%
    Kyverdale Road2576%
    Lavender Grove2477%
    Alkham Road2370%
    Clifden Road2391%
    Culford Road2376%
    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.
    The 45-degree test in planTest used in daylight assessments: 45 degrees (plan and elevation). Hackney guidance: 45 degrees (plan and elevation)AB

    The 45-degree test in plan

    A line from the middle of the neighbour's nearest window: the extension should stay behind it.

    A · Test used in daylight assessments
    45 degrees (plan and elevation)
    B · Hackney guidance
    45 degrees (plan and elevation)

    Conservation areas and Article 4 in Hackney

    Hackney has 37 conservation areas and 77 Article 4 directions, with 197 mapped Article 4 areas. Inside a conservation area: No rear extension of more than one storey under PD on article 2(3) land. If your street falls into one of these layers, a second storey needs a planning application.

    Even outside them, the national limit applies: Over one storey: max 3 m beyond the original rear wall and not within 7 m of the rear boundary. Historic England lists 555 entries in the borough, and 40 are on its Heritage at Risk Register; a listed house needs consent as well as planning permission.

    Hackney's householder decisions

    Hackney decided 415 householder applications in its latest published year and granted 84.6 per cent; 91.3 per cent were decided within eight weeks or an agreed extension.

    The figures cover all householder work, from windows to extensions, and not a particular house. We use them for timing only. Domestic gardens make up 18.5 per cent of the borough's land in the Greater London Authority's land-use survey, a borough-wide measure and not a guide to one plot.

    Retrofit, upstairs windows and fire

    Hackney also publishes the Retrofit SPD, which is worth reading if the extension comes with an upgrade to the existing house. New elements must meet: New elements in existing dwellings, limiting U-values W/(m²·K): roof 0.15, wall 0.18, floor 0.18, windows 1.4 (or WER Band B), doors 1.4.

    Upstairs side windows must be: Upper-floor side windows obscure-glazed and non-opening below 1.7 m above floor. A new bedroom needs: Escape window: unobstructed openable area at least 0.33 m², at least 450 mm high and 450 mm wide, bottom of opening no more than 1100 mm above floor. Shared walls bring: Party structure notice at least 2 months before work, and our party wall notices service handles them.

    Price and what you receive

    Drawings start at £1,295, VAT included, fixed before you commit. The set includes plans of both floors, elevations, sections and location and block plans, and a second chartered technologist checks every sheet. The council's householder fee is £548. If the council asks for changes we redraw at no charge until approval.

    See planning drawings for what a Hackney application contains.

    Related drawings and neighbouring boroughs

    The borough overview is architectural drawings in Hackney. For a single-storey alternative see rear extension drawings in Hackney, or side return extension drawings in Hackney for terraces. The national rules are on the double-storey extension drawings hub. Next door: Islington, Tower Hamlets and Haringey.

    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 house being extended, with a wide new opening supported over the ground floor
    Every side considered
    Flick across the turntable to spin it.

    Other services in Hackney

    Double-storey extension drawings nearby

    Questions

    How far below the eaves must a Hackney double-storey extension sit?

    The council's SPD says extensions above a single storey must be set one storey below eaves, for example half the width of the house at first floor.

    What does Hackney require for a two-storey side extension?

    1 m boundary; 500 mm set-back, no wider than half the house, and a full storey below the eaves.

    Do I need planning permission for a two-storey extension in Hackney?

    Usually. Permitted development stops at: Over one storey: max 3 m beyond the original rear wall and not within 7 m of the rear boundary, and Hackney has 37 conservation areas where it does not apply.

    How much do double-storey extension drawings cost in Hackney?

    From £1,295 including VAT, fixed up front.

    Sources and dates

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

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