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City of London, London

House extension drawings in City of London

House extension drawings in City of London start at £695 including VAT. The Square Mile is unlike any other council: just 2 per cent of households live in a house, the area holds 28 conservation areas and 637 listed entries, and most extension work means altering a flat.

From £695 (VAT included)

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  • £2m PI insured
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  • Fixed fees, VAT included

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

    House extension drawings in City of London: what the council publishes

    The development plan is the City of London Local Plan 2015. For homes, the specific guidance we can point to is the Barbican Estate Listed Building Management Guidelines: Volume I Introduction and Volume II Residential (SPD), which governs changes to the Barbican's listed residential blocks. We do not quote a depth or height limit for house extensions here, because no such rule appears in the council documents we have verified.

    That absence shapes the work. With no householder extension guide to measure against, an officer weighs each proposal against the local plan, the character of the surroundings and the heritage layers, and the drawings have to carry that argument. We show the existing building honestly, the change clearly and the context around it.

    A Barbican flat is the extreme case. Because the estate is managed under listed building guidelines, a change to a window, balcony or interior can need consent that a typical house would never face. We read the guidelines before drawing and say plainly at quote stage what can and cannot be changed.

    Brick house being extended, with a wide new opening supported over the ground floor

    Local figures for City of London

    Figures with their unit, period and source
    MeasureValuePeriodSource
    Conservation areas28 named conservation areas published by the council—planning.data.gov.uk
    Listed building entries637 list entries (Historic England, within the LPA boundary)—planning.data.gov.uk
    Article 4 directions1 Article 4 directions published by the council—planning.data.gov.uk
    Households living in a house2 % of households living in a house or bungalow (detached, semi-detached or terraced)Census 2021nomisweb.co.uk
    Owner-occupied households36.5 % of households owner-occupied (owned outright or with mortgage/loan)Census 2021nomisweb.co.uk
    Householder decisions1 decisions1 July 2025 - 30 June 2026assets.publishing.service.gov.uk
    GPDO 2015 Sch 2 Pt 1 Class A, para A.1(f)(i)3 m (attached) / 4 m (detached) beyond the original rear wall, single storey—legislation.gov.uk
    Approved Document L Vol 1 2021 incl. 2023 amendments, Table 4.2New 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—gov.uk
    Householder: alterations/extensions to a single dwellinghouse, from 1 Apr 2026548 GBP—ribblevalley.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 City of London
    Single-storey rear extension: the permitted development limitsDepth beyond the original rear wall: 3 m (attached) / 4 m (detached) beyond the original rear wall, single storey. Maximum height: 4 m. Within the zone near the boundary: Eaves no higher than 3 m where within 2 m of the curtilage boundary. Larger extension under prior approval: 6 m (attached) / 8 m (detached), single storey, height max 4 m; not on article 2(3) land or an SSSIABCD

    Single-storey rear extension: the permitted development limits

    The house in section with a rear extension; the dashed lines mark the zone near the boundary.

    A · Depth beyond the original rear wall
    3 m (attached) / 4 m (detached) beyond the original rear wall, single storey
    B · Maximum height
    4 m
    C · Within the zone near the boundary
    Eaves no higher than 3 m where within 2 m of the curtilage boundary
    D · Larger extension under prior approval
    6 m (attached) / 8 m (detached), single storey, height max 4 m; not on article 2(3) land or an SSSI

    Flats, leases and permitted development

    Householder permitted development does not cover flats, and almost every home here is one. So the work is usually an alteration to a flat rather than a new addition, and each change needs the right consent drawn up properly.

    Where a house does exist, the national limits are the starting point: 3 m (attached) / 4 m (detached) beyond the original rear wall, single storey. Conservation areas and Article 4 directions can restrict that right, so we check the address first.

    Only 36.5 per cent of households own their home. Where yours is leasehold, the lease may need the freeholder's agreement to alter the property, separate from any planning decision.

    Heritage and Article 4 in the Square Mile

    The City has 28 conservation areas and 637 listed entries. It also has 1 Article 4 direction. Together they mean that visible alterations can need permission, and work to a listed building needs listed building consent as well.

    We map the layers on the location plan and write a short heritage note, so the officer sees at once what is protected and how the proposal treats it.

    What the council's decision figures do and do not show

    The council decided 1 householder application in its latest published year, granted it and decided it in time. One case cannot describe a trend, so we draw no conclusion from it. It does tell you that householder applications are rare in the City.

    Careful drawings help most in that situation. We include a clear description of the existing building, dimensioned plans and sections and photographs of the context. A second chartered technologist checks that every sheet agrees with the others, because a single inconsistency stands out in a small caseload.

    Fees and what you receive

    Our fee starts at £695 with VAT included and is fixed before you commit. A set comprises existing and proposed plans, elevations and sections, a location plan and a block plan. The council's householder fee is £548, paid to the council.

    A second chartered technologist checks every sheet before submission. If the council asks for changes we redraw at no charge until approval, which is a commitment on our fees, not a promise about the result. Energy limits apply to any new fabric: 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.

    Other services and neighbouring councils

    For a roof-level change, see loft conversion drawings in City of London, and for a ground-level addition rear extension drawings in City of London. The council overview is at architectural drawings in City of London.

    Nearby, Islington and Tower Hamlets publish their own local figures. The general service is on the house extension 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.
    Finished white-rendered rear house extension with large glazed doors
    Every side considered
    Flick across the turntable to spin it.

    Other services in City of London

    House extension drawings nearby

    Questions

    Can I extend my flat in the City of London?

    It needs planning permission, and possibly listed building consent, because householder permitted development does not apply to flats. We check the heritage layers before we quote.

    Does the City have a householder extensions guide?

    We have not verified one. The development plan is the City of London Local Plan 2015, and the Barbican has its own listed building guidelines.

    How much do house extension drawings cost in City of London?

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

    How many listed buildings are in the City?

    Historic England records 637 listed entries within the council boundary.

    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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