Planning & Conservation in Wandsworth

1. Confirm conservation area and PD position

Wandsworth has 46 conservation areas. CA designation adds controls over demolition and some external works; PD rights for flats do not apply as they do for houses. Check the live conservation-area map and any estate-specific Article 4 directions for the address.

2. Design against Housing SPD themes

Wandsworth’s Housing Supplementary Planning Document (adopted November 2016) covers householder extensions, alterations, roof works, basements and conversions in more detail than a one-line local plan policy. Use it as the design brief alongside the Local Plan before freezing depth and roof form.

3. Neighbour amenity and terrace realities

Victorian terraces around Battersea, Clapham-edge and Wandsworth Town make daylight, outlook, party walls and shared drains recurring. Side returns and rear extensions should be proven in section, not only in plan.

4. Submit and then technical design

Validation-ready householder packages start the statutory clock (around eight weeks once valid). After permission, building regulations drawings, engineer calculations and party wall notices make the scheme buildable — planning drawings alone are not a tender package.

Rear and side-return extensions

Closet-wing geometry, flank height and short gardens dominate assessment. Designs that ignore neighbour windows or terrace rhythm are harder to support than subordinate, well-detailed additions.

Lofts

Rear dormers within PD limits may be available on unrestricted houses; conservation-area and front-slope change often need applications. Fire escape and head height are building-regulations issues to design early.

Basements — Wandsworth guidance

Wandsworth publishes basement extension guidance: planning permission is usually required and is always required for flats, listed buildings, lightwells, related walls/fences, and works affecting CA trees or TPOs. The council points applicants to the Housing SPD and good practice such as retaining adequate garden soil depth above basements (guidance notes a minimum 1m depth of soil as good practice).

Local Plan basement policy (e.g. LP6-era subterranean policy language) treats multi-level basements as inappropriate in typical householder settings and expects substantial garden retention — confirm the current adopted Local Plan wording for your application date. Expect structural method and impact evidence on subterranean schemes.

Character of commons-edge and terrace streets

Commons-edge outlook, consistent terrace rear lines and roofscape are material. Catalogue glass boxes that ignore host materials are a common redesign trigger.

Typical package

Existing/proposed plans, elevations, sections; location and block plans; CA-sensitive elevation detail where required; for basements, structural method and impact information as guided by the Housing SPD and basement leaflet.