New house design drawings for a large plot in Totteridge N20, London Borough of Barnet

Totteridge · N20 · Barnet

Hip-to-Gable Loft Conversion Drawings in Totteridge N20

Fixed-fee, MCIAT-chartered hip-to-gable loft conversion drawings for Totteridge (N20) homeowners — London Borough of Barnet validation and local constraints handled from the start.

Totteridge (N20) runs along a green ridge of large detached houses, former farmhouses and villas on deep plots with paddocks and mature trees, and that semi-rural grain shapes the generous but carefully judged extensions we draw here.

Because the conservation area has carried Article 4 directions since 1970 that remove PD rights for extensions, roofs, porches and outbuildings, we check the boundary and any Green Belt overlap before advising whether a scheme needs a full application.

Proposed floor plan

Totteridge N20

Totteridge (N20) — planning at a glance

Council: London Borough of Barnet
Postcode district: N20
Planning portal: View the Barnet planning portal
Housing stock: Large detached houses, former farmhouses and villas set along the ridge of Totteridge Lane and Totteridge Village, on deep plots with paddocks, mature trees and green verges giving the area its semi-rural character.
Article 4: The Totteridge Conservation Area has carried Article 4 directions since shortly after designation in 1970, removing permitted-development rights for extensions, roof and porch alterations and outbuildings across the area.
Conservation: Totteridge Conservation Area
Sample streets: Totteridge Lane · Totteridge Village · Grange Avenue · Barnet Lane
Local constraints: Totteridge Article 4 directions remove permitted-development rights for extensions, roof alterations, porches and outbuildings across the conservation areaThe semi-rural ridge setting with Green Belt land nearby constrains footprint, height and outbuilding schemesMature trees, verges and paddock boundaries bring tree-protection and landscape-character considerations on larger schemes

Planning in Totteridge (N20): what to know before you apply

Totteridge extensions almost always run as full householder applications to Barnet, since the long-standing Article 4 directions remove the permitted-development route across the conservation area. We prepare a heritage-and-landscape-aware set, checking tree constraints and any Green Belt overlap before submission.

Typical Totteridge housing stock

Large detached houses, former farmhouses and villas set along the ridge of Totteridge Lane and Totteridge Village, on deep plots with paddocks, mature trees and green verges giving the area its semi-rural character.

Streets we regularly draw for in Totteridge

Totteridge Lane · Totteridge Village · Grange Avenue · Barnet Lane

What N20 is actually built of

Measured from 391 classified residential buildings in N20, not from a description of the area.

Totteridge N20 housing mix

Residential building form across the N20 postcode district, from 391 classified buildings.

Attached on more than one side	23%
Attached on one side	54%
Detached	24%
Median building footprint	93 m²
Addresses per buildingAbove about 2 means flats and maisonettes dominate	1.42
Buildings classified	391

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.

Hip-to-Gable Loft Conversion Drawings for Totteridge (N20) homes: the package and the process

The hip-to-gable case is made on the end elevation. The drawings show the existing hipped roof and the proposed gable side by side at the same scale, with the new brickwork or tile hanging set out, the ridge extended to its new length, and the junction with any neighbouring roof made explicit.

Because the work changes the roof at the boundary, the section and the end elevation also have to show the party wall line and how the new gable is built off it. Where the property is one of a pair, we draw the neighbouring roof too — an officer assessing the effect on the pair needs to see both.

The conversion needs a hip to work on, which limits it to semi-detached, detached and end-of-terrace houses — a mid-terrace has no hipped end to rebuild. On a semi, the new gable also has to be drawn against the neighbour's roof, since the pair was designed to read as one.

What is a hip-to-gable loft conversion?

A hipped roof slopes inward on all sides, including the end wall, rather than finishing in a flat vertical gable. A hip-to-gable conversion rebuilds that sloping hip as a vertical wall, in line with the existing side elevation below, squaring off the roof shape and creating a much larger, more usable loft footprint along that side without altering the rear or front roof slopes at all. It is one of the more straightforward roof alterations to build, because the new gable wall follows the line of the existing external wall rather than introducing a new roof form, which keeps both the design and the construction relatively contained compared with a full mansard rebuild.

Suits semi-detached and end-of-terrace houses with a hipped roof on the side elevation
Squares off the roof by rebuilding the sloping hip as a vertical gable wall
Leaves the front and rear roof slopes untouched

Is a hip-to-gable loft conversion permitted development?

Often, yes. For semi-detached and detached houses, permitted development rules allow more than one hip to be converted to a gable, provided the new roof does not exceed the height of the existing ridge and the total additional volume stays within the usual allowance — 50 cubic metres for detached and semi-detached homes. The new gable wall and roof materials should match the existing building, and the rules tighten or disappear entirely inside a conservation area or under an Article 4 direction, both of which we check before recommending the route. Where a previous owner has already extended into the roof or added a large outbuilding, the remaining volume allowance can be smaller than expected, so we always confirm the running total against your specific property rather than assuming the full allowance is still available.

What is a hip-to-gable-plus-dormer conversion?

Combining a hip-to-gable conversion with a rear dormer is one of the most effective ways to maximise a loft on a semi-detached or end-of-terrace house: the gable squares off the side of the roof while the dormer adds headroom over the rear slope and stairwell, together often creating close to a full-width habitable floor. We assess both elements together from the first survey — see our dormer loft conversion page for how the rear element is designed — rather than drawing a hip-to-gable in isolation and bolting on a dormer later. Because both elements are often permitted development on their own, the combined scheme frequently still fits within the same volume allowance, though we always check the running total before confirming the route.

Typical hip-to-gable loft conversion drawing packages
Conversion	Typical route	Structural scope	Fee from
Hip-to-gable only	Permitted development / LDC	New gable wall and rafter tie-in	£1,300
Hip-to-gable plus rear dormer	Permitted development / LDC where eligible	Gable wall plus dormer structure	£1,450
Hip-to-gable in a conservation area	Householder planning	New gable wall and rafter tie-in	£1,600

Sheet from a hip-to-gable loft conversion drawings package drawn for a Totteridge property in N20, showing the existing and proposed arrangement at scale — A sheet from the hip-to-gable loft conversion drawings package we submit to London Borough of Barnet for Totteridge (N20) properties.

Also in Totteridge N20

Planning Permission Planning Drawings Architectural Drawings Building Regulations Drawings Loft Conversion Drawings Hip-to-Gable Loft Conversion Drawings across Barnet Hip-to-Gable Loft Conversion Drawings across London

FAQ

Hip-to-Gable Loft Conversion Drawings in Totteridge N20 — FAQs

How much do hip-to-gable loft conversion drawings cost in London?+

A hip-to-gable conversion on its own typically starts around £1,300. Combining it with a rear dormer usually costs a little more, around £1,450, to cover the additional structural design — we confirm the fixed fee once we have surveyed your roof.

Will my semi-detached house qualify for permitted development?+

Often, but it depends on the volume already used, whether the property sits in a conservation area or under an Article 4 direction, and whether previous extensions have already used up the allowance. We check this free before recommending a route.

How long do hip-to-gable drawings take?+

Typically around 7 days from survey to a full drawing set in your online portal, whether the route is a Lawful Development Certificate or full planning.

Do I need an architect for a hip-to-gable conversion?+

No — as MCIAT-chartered architectural technologists we produce the same council-accepted drawings, with structural calculations coordinated in-house, typically at a lower fee than an architecture practice.

What building regulations apply to a hip-to-gable loft?+

The same core requirements as any loft conversion: a protected stairway or upgraded fire doors, a compliant means-of-escape window, structural calculations for the new gable wall and floor, and insulation upgraded to current Part L standards. We coordinate all of this alongside the planning or Lawful Development Certificate drawings.

Do I need planning permission for a loft or extension in Barnet?+

Across Finchley, Edgware and Hendon, Barnet's 1930s semis usually keep permitted development rights for rear extensions and hip-to-gable or dormer lofts, so a full application isn't always needed. The major exception is Hampstead Garden Suburb, where an Article 4 direction removes almost all permitted development rights. We check your address first and confirm permitted development with a Lawful Development Certificate where it applies.

What is different about building in Hampstead Garden Suburb?+

The Suburb has one of the most far-reaching Article 4 directions in London: almost all external alterations need planning permission, and the Hampstead Garden Suburb Trust must also consent to changes in parallel with the council. We handle both tracks — a carefully evidenced planning application to Barnet and the Trust's design requirements — since approval there depends on respecting the Arts-and-Crafts character precisely.

Is a hip-to-gable loft conversion allowed on my Barnet semi?+

Usually, yes. The borough's abundant interwar semis are well suited to hip-to-gable and dormer conversions, which frequently qualify as permitted development on semi-detached homes within the volume limits. Outside conservation areas and the Suburb, this is often the quickest route. We confirm eligibility, then produce the planning and building-regulations drawings.

How long does Barnet take to decide an application?+

Barnet determines most householder applications within the statutory eight-week period once validated; Suburb and conservation cases can involve additional consultation. We prepare Barnet submissions to the validation checklist, with the elevations and materials detail the council expects, to avoid the drawing queries that are the usual cause of delay.

How much do Barnet planning drawings cost?+

We agree a fixed fee before we start, typically around 30% below an architect's fee for the same council-accepted drawings, with free redraws until Barnet approves. A straightforward Finchley loft and a Hampstead Garden Suburb application differ in the evidence required, so we quote once we have seen the project and know which route applies.

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