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Free 2026 London Planning ReportDouble Storey Extension Drawings in Barking IG11

Kitchen extension interior in a Barking IG11 terraced home, Barking and Dagenham
Barking · IG11 · Barking & Dagenham

Double Storey Extension Drawings in Barking IG11

Fixed-fee, MCIAT-chartered double storey extension drawings for Barking (IG11) homeowners — London Borough of Barking and Dagenham validation and local constraints handled from the start.

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Barking (IG11) mixes a medieval abbey-and-town-centre core with Victorian, Edwardian and interwar housing, so extension and loft work here depends heavily on how close a property sits to the historic centre and the river.

Two conservation areas — Abbey and Barking Town Centre and Abbey Road Riverside — plus the borough-wide 2022 Article 4 on upward extensions mean we check the boundary and Article 4 position before advising permitted development versus a full application.

Kitchen extension interior in a Barking IG11 terraced home, Barking and Dagenham
Isometric illustration of a Barking IG11 home double storey extension drawings design
Proposed floor plan
Barking IG11

Planning in Barking (IG11): what to know before you apply

Rear extensions and loft conversions across suburban IG11 are often achievable, but the borough-wide 2022 Article 4 means any added-storey scheme needs planning permission, and properties inside the Abbey town-centre or Abbey Road Riverside conservation areas face tighter heritage control near the abbey and church.

Typical Barking housing stock

IG11 ranges from the historic Barking Abbey and town-centre core through Victorian and Edwardian terraces to interwar semis and later suburban housing spreading out from the town centre.

Streets we regularly draw for in Barking

Abbey Road · East Street · North Street · Linton Road

Double Storey Extension Drawings for Barking (IG11) homes: the package and the process

Every double storey extension drawings we prepare for an Barking property is drawn to London Borough of Barking and Dagenham’s validation standards and tuned to the IG11 constraints above. Here is what the drawing package covers and how the process runs from first survey to approval.

A double storey extension builds a second floor above a single-storey side or rear addition, typically adding a bedroom and bathroom upstairs over a widened kitchen or reception room below. Because the foundations and roof of a single-storey extension already carry most of the fixed cost of building, adding a floor on top is often the most cost-effective way to gain two rooms rather than two separate projects. The trade-off is scrutiny: a two-storey addition sits closer to eye level with neighbouring windows and gardens, so councils examine massing, roofline and boundary distance more closely than they would a single-storey extension.

DrawingsDirect draws double storey side and rear extensions for full planning and building regulations, with structural calculations for the additional floor load and foundations produced in-house by our MCIAT-chartered team, on a fixed fee. If a single storey is enough, see our Rear Extension and Side Return Extension pages, or combine both with a Wraparound if you are extending sideways as well as up.

Do I need planning permission for a double storey extension in London?

Almost always. Permitted development rights for two-storey extensions are far more restrictive than for single-storey work, particularly on how close the new structure can come to a boundary and how closely its roof pitch and eaves height must match the existing house, so most double storey projects are drawn and submitted as full householder planning applications rather than relying on permitted development.

Where the property sits in a conservation area or is subject to an Article 4 direction, any remaining permitted development allowance for a second storey is typically removed entirely, reinforcing the need for a full application. We check your property's status and your borough's design guidance before drawing.

How do councils control the impact of a double storey extension on neighbours?

Because a second storey introduces new windows and massing at first-floor level, London boroughs apply design guidance aimed specifically at protecting neighbouring light, privacy and outlook.

  • The 45-degree rule, tested at neighbouring windows, to check the extension does not block an unreasonable amount of daylight
  • A common design expectation that a two-storey side extension is set in roughly 1 metre from the shared boundary, rather than built hard against it
  • A first floor commonly set back from the ground floor front elevation, so the upper storey reads as subordinate to the main house from the street
  • Obscure or high-level glazing on flank walls facing directly into a neighbour's garden or windows, to limit overlooking
Extending once vs twice: single versus double storey
OptionWhat it addsTypical fee
Single-storey rear extensionA ground-floor kitchen-diner only, may qualify for permitted developmentsee Rear Extension Drawings, from £1,100
Double storey side or rear extensionTwo rooms across two floors, usually needs full planningFull Planning pack ~£1,600–£2,400
Double storey + Building Regulations (structural)Combined pack including structural calculations for two-floor loads and foundationsPlanning + Building Regs pack ~£2,200–£3,850
Wraparound (rear + side return)Combines two single-storey extensions into one L-shaped ground floorsee Wraparound Extension Drawings, from £2,200
FAQ

Double Storey Extension Drawings in Barking IG11 — FAQs

How much does a double storey extension cost to design in London?+
Double storey extension drawings start from £2,400, covering full planning permission and structural design for the additional floor. A combined planning and building regulations package with full structural calculations runs up to around £3,850, fixed and agreed upfront.
Do I need planning permission to add a second storey?+
In almost all cases, yes. Permitted development rights for two-storey extensions are much tighter than for single-storey work, particularly around boundary distance and roof matching, so we design double storey projects on the assumption a full householder planning application is required.
Will a double storey extension overlook my neighbour's garden?+
That is exactly what planning officers check, using the 45-degree daylight rule alongside boundary set-in and first-floor set-back guidance. Where a new flank window would look directly into a neighbour's garden, we typically specify obscure or high-level glazing to address it before submission rather than after an objection.
Do I need an architect for a double storey extension?+
No. DrawingsDirect is an MCIAT-chartered architectural technologist practice, producing the same council-accepted drawings and in-house structural coordination as an architect, for a fixed fee typically around 30% lower, with structural calculations for the additional floor produced by the same team rather than a separately appointed engineer.
How long does it take to get double storey extension drawings?+
Drawings are typically ready around 7 days from survey. A householder planning application then has a statutory 8-week determination period once submitted.
Do I need planning permission for an extension in Barking & Dagenham?+
On the Becontree Estate's interwar semis and the Victorian terraces around Barking, many single-storey rear extensions and lofts can fall within permitted development, so a full application isn't always needed. Conservation areas such as Barking Town Centre and Chadwell Heath restrict this. We check your address first and can confirm permitted development with a Lawful Development Certificate where it qualifies.
What does the council expect for an extension on the Becontree Estate?+
The Becontree Estate has a consistent interwar cottage-style character the council expects extensions to respect — matching the building line, roof form and materials of the street. We design to that established pattern rather than imposing a standard template, which is what carries applications to consent on the estate.
What does the borough-wide HMO Article 4 direction affect?+
Barking & Dagenham applies a borough-wide Article 4 direction removing permitted development rights for change of use to an HMO (C3 to C4), so a conversion to a house in multiple occupation needs a full application anywhere in the borough. It doesn't affect a standard family extension or loft, but we confirm whether it applies to your intended use before advising.
How long does Barking & Dagenham Council take to decide?+
The council determines most householder applications within the statutory eight-week period once validated; conservation cases can attract additional consultation. The commonest delay is a validation query, so we prepare submissions to the council's checklist with correctly scaled existing and proposed drawings and a location plan.
How much do planning drawings cost in Barking & Dagenham?+
We agree a fixed fee before starting, usually around 30% below an architect's fee for the same council-accepted drawings, with free redraws until the council approves. A single-storey rear, a loft and a conservation-area application differ in complexity, so we quote once we understand your street and project rather than by the hour.
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