HMO Conversion Drawings in Greenwich SE10
Fixed-fee, MCIAT-chartered hmo conversion drawings for Greenwich (SE10) homeowners — Royal Borough of Greenwich validation and local constraints handled from the start.
Greenwich (SE10) is among the most heritage-sensitive places to build in London: most of its period housing sits within one of the Royal Borough's conservation areas — West Greenwich, Greenwich Park, East Greenwich or the Ashburnham Triangle — and three of those carry Article 4 directions that pull nearly all external work into the planning system. Side-return and rear extensions on the Victorian and Georgian terraces are the staple, but they are judged carefully on materials, proportion and detail.
SE10 also sits within, or beside, the Maritime Greenwich World Heritage Site: the inscribed core is the Old Royal Naval College, Queen's House, Royal Observatory and Cutty Sark, with the surrounding streets in the buffer zone. That means townscape and setting weigh heavily on how schemes are assessed. We check exactly which conservation area — and which Article 4 direction — applies to a Greenwich address before advising on a permitted-development or full-application route.
Planning in Greenwich (SE10): what to know before you apply
Most SE10 houses fall inside the West Greenwich, Greenwich Park, East Greenwich or Ashburnham Triangle conservation areas, and the first three carry Article 4 directions removing permitted-development rights for re-roofing, windows, doors and other external changes. The Maritime Greenwich World Heritage Site and its buffer zone add further townscape scrutiny. We confirm the conservation area and Article 4 status for a specific property before recommending a route and drawing to the Royal Borough's guidance.
Typical Greenwich housing stock
Georgian and early-Victorian terraces around Royal Hill and Crooms Hill, the Victorian terraces of the Ashburnham Triangle, and the streets of West and East Greenwich framing the town centre and Greenwich Park.
Streets we regularly draw for in Greenwich
Royal Hill · Crooms Hill · Ashburnham Grove · Gloucester Circus
What SE10 is actually built of
Measured from 310 classified residential buildings in SE10, not from a description of the area.
Greenwich SE10 housing mix
Residential building form across the SE10 postcode district, from 310 classified buildings.
| Attached on more than one side | 70% |
|---|---|
| Attached on one side | 26% |
| Detached | 4% |
| Median building footprint | 54 m² |
| Addresses per buildingAbove about 2 means flats and maisonettes dominate | 2.79 |
| Buildings classified | 310 |
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.
HMO Conversion Drawings for Greenwich (SE10) homes: the package and the process
An HMO scheme is drawn against a schedule. Every bedroom is dimensioned with its usable floor area stated, shared kitchen and bathroom provision is counted against the number of occupants, and the layout has to hold up against the space standards the licensing team applies.
The fire strategy is drawn, not described: protected escape route, fire doors and their ratings, alarm coverage by room, and compartmentation between floors. Licensing and building control assess the same drawing set from different angles, so it has to satisfy both without contradiction.
Room count is a function of the existing plan. A large semi or detached house with generous rooms can meet the space standards without subdivision, while a narrow terrace usually cannot reach the same occupancy without creating rooms that fall below the minimum floor area.
C4 small HMO or sui generis large HMO — which applies to your property?
The distinction matters because it decides which rules apply. A small HMO housing three to six unrelated sharers who share amenities is Class C4. A large HMO of seven or more occupants is sui generis and always needs planning permission, since sui generis uses sit outside the permitted development system entirely. The line also shifts with occupancy — a property let to six sharers today can tip into sui generis territory the moment a seventh tenancy is signed, which changes the planning position even though nothing about the building itself has changed. We assess your proposed occupancy and layout against both definitions before drawing, so the application matches how the property will actually be let.
Do I need planning permission for an HMO conversion in London?
Converting a family home (C3) into a small HMO (C4) is technically permitted development under national rules, but a large number of London boroughs have made an Article 4 direction that removes this right across all or part of the borough — meaning a full planning application is required even for a small, compliant HMO. Article 4 directions vary street by street in some boroughs, so two similar houses a few doors apart can sit on opposite sides of the line. Any large HMO (sui generis) needs planning permission everywhere, regardless of Article 4. We check your specific address against the relevant borough's Article 4 direction before recommending a route, since guessing wrong wastes both time and application fees.
Mandatory and additional HMO licensing — what's required?
Most HMOs need a licence from the council, separate from any planning permission. A licence application typically has to demonstrate that the property meets fire safety, amenity and space standards, that gas and electrical installations are safety-certified, and that the landlord or managing agent is a fit and proper person to hold it.
Mandatory licensing
Applies to any HMO of five or more occupants forming two or more households, regardless of the number of storeys — a national requirement in every London borough.
Additional licensing
Many boroughs extend licensing to smaller HMOs, typically three or four occupants, across all or part of their area. We check the current scheme for your borough before you apply, since schemes and boundaries change.
| Factor | C4 small HMO (3–6 sharers) | Sui generis large HMO (7+) |
|---|---|---|
| Use class | C4 | Sui generis |
| Planning permission | Often needed due to Article 4 directions in most boroughs | Always needed |
| Licensing | Mandatory if 5+ occupants; additional licensing in many boroughs | Mandatory |
| Typical drawing package | From £1,400 | Full planning + building regs, from £2,200 |
HMO Conversion Drawings in Greenwich SE10 — FAQs
How much do HMO conversion drawings cost in London?+
Is HMO conversion permitted development in London?+
Do I need a licence as well as planning permission?+
Do I need an architect for an HMO conversion?+
How long do HMO conversion drawings take?+
Do I need planning permission for an extension in Greenwich?+
How does the Maritime Greenwich World Heritage Site affect my project?+
Can I extend a home in Blackheath or Westcombe Park?+
How long does the Royal Borough of Greenwich take to decide?+
How much do planning drawings cost in Greenwich?+
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