
Loft Conversion Drawings in Northolt UB5
Fixed-fee, MCIAT-chartered loft conversion drawings for Northolt (UB5) homeowners — London Borough of Ealing validation and local constraints handled from the start.
In Northolt (UB5) we prepare planning and building-control drawings for rear extensions, loft conversions and garage conversions on the district's 1930s semis and interwar homes.
Around the Northolt Village Green conservation area we check the boundary and the setting of nearby heritage buildings first, then advise whether your extension runs as permitted development or needs a full application.


Planning in Northolt (UB5): what to know before you apply
The bulk of 1930s UB5 housing sits outside the small Village Green conservation area and keeps full permitted-development rights for rear extensions and lofts. Plots near the green face conservation-area control on demolition, side extensions and anything affecting the historic setting.
Typical Northolt housing stock
Northolt centres on the historic Village Green around St Mary's Church and Court Farm Road, but the wider UB5 district is predominantly 1930s semi-detached and interwar suburban housing with good-sized rear gardens.
Streets we regularly draw for in Northolt
Ealing Road · Court Farm Road · Church Road · Islip Manor Road
What UB5 is actually built of
Measured from 183 classified residential buildings in UB5, not from a description of the area.
Northolt UB5 housing mix
Residential building form across the UB5 postcode district, from 183 classified buildings.
| Attached on more than one side | 38% |
|---|---|
| Attached on one side | 57% |
| Detached | 4% |
| Median building footprint | 60 m² |
| Addresses per buildingAbove about 2 means flats and maisonettes dominate | 1.45 |
| Buildings classified | 183 |
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.
Loft Conversion Drawings for Northolt (UB5) homes: the package and the process
A loft stands or falls on the section drawing. It has to prove usable head height along the length of the room, a staircase that meets the going and headroom rules without eating the landing below, floor joists sized for a habitable load rather than storage, and a means of escape that Building Control will accept — usually a protected stair, sometimes an escape window.
The same section does the planning work too, showing roof volume, ridge height and how the new form sits against the existing roof. Where the conversion relies on permitted development we set the volume out on the drawing as a calculation, so the position is evidenced rather than asserted.
Roof shape decides which conversion is even possible. A hipped roof has to become a gable before it offers full-width space; a shallow pitch may not deliver head height at any cost; and a terrace with a rear outrigger opens up an L-shaped option a detached house has no use for.
Do I need planning permission for a loft conversion in London?
Many loft conversions are permitted development, but volume limits (40m³ for terraced homes, 50m³ for detached and semi-detached), materials and the presence of a conservation area or Article 4 direction can change that. We assess your roof and borough and recommend the fastest lawful route — often a Lawful Development Certificate rather than a full planning application. A certificate is worth having even when the work is clearly permitted: it gives your buyer's solicitor and your building-control surveyor documentary proof the loft is lawful, which matters when you sell.
Which loft conversion type suits your roof?
The best conversion depends on your roof shape and the headroom it offers.
Dormer
A box dormer adds headroom and floor area at the rear and is the most common London loft — frequently permitted development.
Mansard
A mansard rebuilds the rear (or front and rear) roof slope for maximum space, common in conservation areas but usually needing planning permission.
Hip-to-gable
Extends a hipped roof to a vertical gable, ideal for semi-detached and end-of-terrace homes.
Velux / rooflight
The simplest option — rooflights within the existing roofline, almost always permitted development.
What building regulations apply to a loft conversion?
Loft conversions must meet fire escape, structural and insulation standards — a protected stairway, adequate floor joists and beams, and often a means of escape window. A loft that adds a third storey to a two-storey house triggers stricter fire-separation rules, including fire doors to habitable rooms off the new stairway. We coordinate the structural calculations with the drawings so the build proceeds without delays.
| Loft type | Best for | Usual route | Fee from |
|---|---|---|---|
| Velux / rooflight | Roofs with existing headroom | Permitted development / LDC | £1,100 |
| Dormer | Rear headroom + floor area | Permitted development / LDC | £1,300 |
| Hip-to-gable | Semi and end-of-terrace roofs | Permitted development or planning | £1,600 |
| Mansard | Maximum space, conservation areas | Full planning application | £2,200 |

Loft Conversion Drawings in Northolt UB5 — FAQs
How much do loft conversion drawings cost in London?+
Will my loft need a fire escape window?+
Is a dormer loft permitted development?+
Can I convert my loft if I live in a conservation area?+
Do you provide the structural calculations for the steels?+
Do I need planning permission for a rear extension in Ealing?+
What extra control applies in Bedford Park?+
How long does Ealing Council take to decide a householder application?+
Can you help with a loft conversion on a 1930s Ealing semi?+
How much do planning drawings cost in Ealing?+
Get your free Northolt planning assessment
Tell us your Northolt (UB5) address and ambition — we'll confirm feasibility, local constraints and a fixed fee within one working day.