House extensions in Waltham Forest
Waltham Forest granted 81% of the 771 householder decisions it made in the latest four quarters of published data, so most householder cases here end in a grant. Larger rear extensions on the prior approval route are refused more often. DrawingsDirect draws rear extensions from £695.
Fixed fee from £495 drawings + £200 survey (£695 total) · all prices
Prefer to talk it through?
What the council actually decides
Our analysis of MHCLG planning application statistics, table PS2 (released 24 Sep 2026) counts 771 householder decisions in Waltham Forest across the four quarters from 2025 Q3 to 2026 Q2. Of those, 81% were granted.
That is a decent base rate for a kitchen, rear or side extension, but a statistic is not a verdict on your plot. Neighbour impact, depth and materials are the points the drawings control, so set them out clearly.
The larger-extension route is a harder road
Under permitted development a single-storey rear extension on a house that is not detached can reach 3 metres, and up to 6 metres if you notify the council and the neighbours get a say. Both figures come from Class A of the General Permitted Development Order.
Our analysis of the same statistics, table PS1, shows 483 larger home extension prior approval cases decided in Waltham Forest over eight quarters, 2024 Q3 to 2026 Q2, and 33% were refused. The rest were approved or told that prior approval was not required, and either outcome lets the work go ahead. If you want the 6 metre depth, treat the neighbour consultation as the real test and draw for it.
The prior approval application itself carries a statutory fee of £249.
Our analysis of the same statistics, table PS1, shows 483 larger home extension prior approval cases decided in Waltham Forest over eight quarters, 2024 Q3 to 2026 Q2, and 33% were refused.
Conservation areas change the rules
Our analysis of the MHCLG Planning Data Platform conservation-area dataset (bulk snapshot retrieved 14 Aug 2026) finds 15 Waltham Forest entries on the national conservation-area register, and the map on Waltham Forest Council's website shows the actual boundaries. Inside one, permitted development is narrower: a side extension, or a rear extension of more than one storey, needs a householder application.
Check your street against the council's map before you pay for a design, and tell us the address when you ask for a quote so the drawings start from the right route.
What the drawings cost
Our rear extension drawings start at £695, on a fixed fee. The householder planning application fee you pay the council separately is £548 from 1 April 2026.
For the full list of what is included, see our pricing page.
Related drawings in the borough
If the project also changes the layout inside, our floor plans page covers the existing and proposed plans. A larger project that wraps around the back and side of the house sits on the wraparound extension drawings page, and the wider house extension drawings page covers all boroughs.
Sources
Every figure on this page, where it comes from and a link to the original.
| Figure | Source | Link |
|---|---|---|
| 771 | Our analysis of MHCLG planning application statistics, table PS2 (district open data table) (released 24 Sep 2026, quarters to 2026 Q2) | www.gov.uk |
| 81% | Our analysis of MHCLG planning application statistics, table PS2 (district open data table) (released 24 Sep 2026, quarters to 2026 Q2) | www.gov.uk |
| 483 | Our analysis of MHCLG planning application statistics, table PS1 (district open data table) (released 24 Sep 2026, quarters to 2026 Q2) | www.gov.uk |
| 33% | Our analysis of MHCLG planning application statistics, table PS1 (district open data table) (released 24 Sep 2026, quarters to 2026 Q2) | www.gov.uk |
| 15 | Our analysis of MHCLG Planning Data Platform conservation-area and article-4-direction datasets (bulk snapshot retrieved 14 Aug 2026) | www.planning.data.gov.uk |
| 3 metres | GPDO 2015 Sch 2 Pt 1 Class A.1(f)(i): single-storey rear extension max depth, house other than detached (source wording: 3 metres) | www.legislation.gov.uk |
| 6 metres | GPDO 2015 Sch 2 Pt 1 Class A.1(g): larger home extension (prior approval, A.4) max depth, house other than detached (source wording: 6 metres) | www.legislation.gov.uk |
| £548 | Statutory fee from 1 April 2026, SI 2012/2920 Sch 1 Pt 2 category 6(1): householder application for alterations or extensions to a single dwellinghouse | assets.publishing.service.gov.uk |
| £249 | Statutory fee from 1 April 2026: prior approval for a householder larger rear extension (GPDO Part 1 Class A) | assets.publishing.service.gov.uk |
| £695 | DrawingsDirect starting fixed fee for rear extension drawings, from the published price list | drawingsdirect.co.uk |