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Tower Hamlets, London

Rear extension drawings in Tower Hamlets

Rear extension drawings for a Tower Hamlets home start at £695 including VAT. The borough's supplementary documents cover growth and density, not house extensions, so heritage and the national rules decide most outcomes. With 59 conservation areas, the address check comes first.

From £695 (VAT included)

  • MCIAT chartered
  • £2m PI insured
  • LABC Partnered
  • Fixed fees, VAT included

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

    What governs a Tower Hamlets rear extension

    The supplementary documents that Tower Hamlets lists are the Central Area Good Growth SPD and the High Density Living SPD. Both are aimed at large-scale growth and dense housing rather than a householder's back wall.

    Design policy therefore comes from the Tower Hamlets Local Plan 2031: Managing Growth and Sharing the Benefits, together with the national limits: 3 m (attached) / 4 m (detached) beyond the original rear wall, single storey for permitted development, with prior approval for more: 6 m (attached) / 8 m (detached), single storey, height max 4 m; not on article 2(3) land or an SSSI. Where an application is needed, the officer weighs light, outlook and the character of the street.

    We answer that on the drawings. Each set shows the neighbouring windows, the boundary condition and the proposed roof against the existing, so the officer can judge the effect without a site visit.

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

    Local figures for Tower Hamlets

    Figures with their unit, period and source
    MeasureValuePeriodSource
    Conservation areas59 named conservation areas published by the council—planning.data.gov.uk
    Article 4 directions64 Article 4 directions published by the council—planning.data.gov.uk
    Tree preservation orders72 tree preservation orders published by the council—planning.data.gov.uk
    Listed building entries916 list entries (Historic England, within the LPA boundary)—planning.data.gov.uk
    Domestic gardens share of land (GLUD 2005)7.4 % of land that is domestic garden (GLUD 2005)2005data.london.gov.uk
    Householder decisions191 decisions1 July 2025 - 30 June 2026assets.publishing.service.gov.uk
    Householder applications granted92.7 %1 July 2025 - 30 June 2026assets.publishing.service.gov.uk
    Householder applications decided in time95.8 % decided within 8 weeks or an agreed extended period1 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
    Class A, para A.1(g)6 m (attached) / 8 m (detached), single storey, height max 4 m; not on article 2(3) land or an SSSI—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 Tower Hamlets
    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

    Heritage constraints decide the route

    The borough has 59 conservation areas, 64 Article 4 directions and Historic England lists 916 entries. There are also 2 World Heritage Sites.

    Where an Article 4 direction applies, permitted development rights are removed for the matters it names. On article 2(3) land the deeper prior approval depth is not available at all. A listed house needs listed building consent for work affecting its character, in addition to any other route.

    Trees, small gardens and tight plots

    Domestic gardens make up only about 7.4 per cent of the borough's land in the Greater London land-use survey, a modest reserve. A rear extension therefore uses a visible share of a small space.

    The borough also records 72 tree preservation orders. A protected tree in your garden or next door can limit foundations and construction access, so we plot trees on the survey. Where a tree is close to the new foundations, we flag early that an arboricultural report may be needed, so it does not hold up validation.

    How Tower Hamlets decides householder applications

    Tower Hamlets decided 191 householder applications in its latest published year. It granted 92.7 per cent, and 95.8 per cent were decided on time.

    Flats cannot use householder permitted development at all, so we confirm at the first call which route your home can take.

    Fixed fee and what you receive

    Rear extension drawings start at £695, VAT included, fixed before you commit. The set has existing and proposed plans, elevations and sections, a location plan and a block plan. A second chartered technologist checks each sheet, and we redraw free if the council asks for changes.

    On a protected street we add a short heritage note that explains the design against the setting. The building regulations drawings in Tower Hamlets follow once the design is settled.

    Surveying a tight Tower Hamlets plot

    Where a plot is small and overlooked from several sides, the survey records more than the house itself: the neighbouring windows, the boundary walls, any trees and the levels of the courtyard or yard. Each of those shapes what can sit against the back wall.

    We then test the extension in three dimensions against that record. If the design harms a neighbour's window, it shows on our drawings before the council finds it, and we can adjust the depth, the roof or the position of the openings.

    Where the house is part of a protected street, we also photograph the existing rear elevation and the view from neighbouring gardens, so the heritage note shows the effect on the setting.

    Related services and neighbouring boroughs

    A Lawful Development Certificate in Tower Hamlets confirms whether permitted development applies, and planning drawings in Tower Hamlets cover the application route. The borough overview is at architectural drawings in Tower Hamlets.

    Nearby rules differ in Newham, Hackney and Southwark. Read the national rules on our rear extension drawings page.

    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 Tower Hamlets

    Rear extension drawings nearby

    Questions

    Does Tower Hamlets set a maximum depth for rear extensions?

    Its listed supplementary documents cover growth and density, not house extensions. The national limit applies for permitted development: 3 m (attached) / 4 m (detached) beyond the original rear wall, single storey.

    Can I extend a house in a conservation area?

    Often yes, with care. The borough has 59 conservation areas, the longer prior approval route does not apply there, and materials and roof form are judged more closely.

    What if there is a protected tree?

    The borough has 72 tree preservation orders. We plot trees on the survey and design foundations around them.

    How much do rear extension drawings cost in Tower Hamlets?

    From £695 including VAT, fixed up front. The council's householder fee of £548 is separate.

    Sources and dates

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    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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