Double Storey Extension Drawings in Colliers Wood SW19
Fixed-fee, MCIAT-chartered double storey extension drawings for Colliers Wood (SW19) homeowners — London Borough of Merton validation and local constraints handled from the start.
Colliers Wood in SW19 runs along the River Wandle in the London Borough of Merton, mixing Victorian and Edwardian terraces with newer riverside development. Everyday work here is side-return and rear kitchen extensions, loft conversions and conversions of larger period houses into flats, all designed to meet Merton's requirements.
The Wandle Valley conservation area and the river itself add flood-risk and setting considerations that officers examine closely, particularly for deeper extensions and any basement work. We design schemes that sit comfortably with the terrace and riverside context and prepare the drainage and structural detail Merton expects.
Planning in Colliers Wood (SW19): what to know before you apply
Colliers Wood has no published householder Article 4 direction, so many terraces keep permitted-development rights for rear extensions and lofts; the key constraints are the Wandle Valley conservation area and flood risk near the river, which can require planning permission and a flood-risk assessment. Terrace depth and neighbour amenity typically govern rear-extension size.
Typical Colliers Wood housing stock
Colliers Wood mixes tight Victorian and Edwardian terraces with newer housing and apartments built up near the River Wandle. The terraced streets drive side-return and rear kitchen extensions and loft conversions for growing families, while flat conversions are common in the larger period houses.
Streets we regularly draw for in Colliers Wood
Blackshaw Road · Quicks Road · Hamilton Road · Nelson Road
What SW19 is actually built of
Measured from 435 classified residential buildings in SW19, not from a description of the area.
Colliers Wood SW19 housing mix
Residential building form across the SW19 postcode district, from 435 classified buildings.
| Attached on more than one side | 53% |
|---|---|
| Attached on one side | 35% |
| Detached | 11% |
| Median building footprint | 66 m² |
| Addresses per buildingAbove about 2 means flats and maisonettes dominate | 1.54 |
| Buildings classified | 435 |
Source: Ordnance Survey National Geographic Database (derived statistics). Contains OS data © Crown copyright and database right 2026. Contains Royal Mail data © Royal Mail copyright and database right 2026. Extracted 2026-08-17.
Double Storey Extension Drawings for Colliers Wood (SW19) homes: the package and the process
At first-floor level the drawings have to answer for daylight, privacy and massing. That means proposed elevations showing every new window with its position relative to the boundary, a section taken through the extension and the neighbouring building, and a roof form drawn to sit below the existing ridge rather than compete with it.
We draw the neighbouring property alongside your own, because the officer's assessment is comparative — the effect on their windows and outlook is the test. Setting the first floor in from the boundary, and showing that set-back as a dimension, resolves most objections before consultation begins.
At first floor the boundary relationship decides everything. A detached house has room to set the addition in on both sides; a semi has one shared wall and one clear flank; a mid-terrace can usually only go to the rear, where the effect on both neighbours has to be drawn.
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
Matching the roofline and materials
Planning officers assess a double storey extension heavily on how convincingly it reads as part of the original house rather than an addition bolted onto the side. Our drawings match ridge height, roof pitch, eaves detail and brick or render finish to the existing building wherever the design brief allows, which is consistently one of the strongest factors in securing approval without delay or redesign. Where a subtly contrasting material is proposed instead — a different brick tone, or a zinc or slate roof against a tiled original — we set it out clearly on the elevations so the design intent reads as deliberate rather than a mismatch, which is how most London boroughs prefer a genuine design statement to be presented.
| Option | What it adds | Typical fee |
|---|---|---|
| Single-storey rear extension | A ground-floor kitchen-diner only, may qualify for permitted development | see Rear Extension Drawings, from £1,100 |
| Double storey side or rear extension | Two rooms across two floors, usually needs full planning | Full Planning pack ~£1,600–£2,400 |
| Double storey + Building Regulations (structural) | Combined pack including structural calculations for two-floor loads and foundations | Planning + Building Regs pack ~£2,200–£3,850 |
| Wraparound (rear + side return) | Combines two single-storey extensions into one L-shaped ground floor | see Wraparound Extension Drawings, from £2,200 |
Double Storey Extension Drawings in Colliers Wood SW19 — FAQs
How much does a double storey extension cost to design in London?+
Do I need planning permission to add a second storey?+
Will a double storey extension overlook my neighbour's garden?+
Do I need an architect for a double storey extension?+
How long does it take to get double storey extension drawings?+
Do I need planning permission for an extension in Merton?+
What is special about building at the John Innes estate in Merton Park?+
What do Merton's HMO Article 4 directions affect?+
How long does Merton Council take to decide?+
How much do planning drawings cost in Merton?+
Get your free Colliers Wood planning assessment
Tell us your Colliers Wood (SW19) address and ambition — we'll confirm feasibility, local constraints and a fixed fee within one working day.