Planning Drawings in Bexley
Fixed-fee, MCIAT-chartered planning drawings for Bexley homeowners — London Borough of Bexley validation and local constraints handled from the start.
Bexley is predominantly interwar suburban London: semi-detached houses dominant across Bexleyheath, Sidcup and Welling, the historic core of Old Bexley Village with its Victorian and older housing, and riverside and post-war housing running toward Erith, Belvedere and the Thames. The generous suburban plots make rear and double-storey extensions and loft conversions the borough's most requested projects, and they frequently allow larger schemes than the tight terraces of inner London could ever accommodate.
Bexley has no borough-wide Article 4 direction affecting typical householder permitted development, so its semi-detached and detached homes often keep fuller rights than inner-London terraces — larger rear and single-storey extensions can qualify without a full application. The binding constraints instead are conservation-area control in Old Bexley Village, Danson Park and the Upton area of Bexleyheath — home to William Morris's Red House — as well as Blendon, Lamorbey and Crayford Town, and the council's expectation that extensions respect the consistent interwar building line. Thames-side and flood-zone considerations apply toward Erith and the riverside. The practical limit on a Bexleyheath or Sidcup plot is usually design and amenity policy rather than available space.
We prepare Bexley planning drawings that use the available plot fully while respecting conservation and the established suburban building line, checking permitted development limits for semi-detached and detached homes first and confirming eligibility with a Lawful Development Certificate where a project qualifies. Because the borough determines most householder applications within the statutory eight-week period once validated, we prepare submissions validation-first to keep them moving. The fee is fixed and agreed up front, drawings typically follow within about seven days, and we offer free redraws until Bexley approves — the same council-accepted drawings an architect would produce, usually at around 30% less.
Planning in Bexley: what to know before you apply
Bexley has no borough-wide Article 4 direction affecting typical householder permitted development; the binding constraints are conservation-area control in Old Bexley Village, Danson Park and the Upton area of Bexleyheath, and the council's expectation that extensions respect the suburban building line. Thames flood-zone considerations apply toward Erith. The borough's semis often retain fuller permitted development rights than inner-London terraces.
Typical Bexley housing stock
Interwar semi-detached suburbia dominant across Bexleyheath, Sidcup and Welling, Victorian and older housing around the historic Old Bexley Village, and riverside and post-war housing toward Erith and Thamesmead.
Areas we regularly draw for in Bexley
Bexleyheath · Sidcup · Welling · Erith · Crayford · Old Bexley · Belvedere · Blackfen
What the numbers say about Bexley planning decisions
These are London Borough of Bexley’s own reported figures, published by government rather than estimated by us. They are what we design against — a borough that refuses one householder application in five needs a different drawing package from one that refuses one in twenty.
Householder decisions in Bexley
Every householder application London Borough of Bexley decided over the four quarters to 2026 Q1.
| Householder applications decided | 939 |
|---|---|
| Granted | 895 |
| Refused | 44 |
| GrantedEngland average 90% | 95% |
| Of which prior approvalsPrior approvals are granted far more often than full applications, so this share moves the rate above | 10% |
| Decided within 8 weeksExcludes prior approvals. England average 93% | 99% |
Source: Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (PS2 district planning application statistics). Open Government Licence v3.0 Extracted 2026-08-16.
Permitted development in Bexley
Larger householder extensions put to London Borough of Bexley under the prior-approval route, and lawful-development certificates decided, over eight quarters.
| Prior approval not requiredWent ahead without a full application | 152 |
|---|---|
| Prior approval granted | 18 |
| Prior approval refused | 30 |
| Granted where a decision was neededFrom 48 determinations | 38% |
| Building upwards, prior approval refused | 1 |
| Certificates of lawful development decided | 574 |
Source: Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (PS1 district planning application statistics). Open Government Licence v3.0 Extracted 2026-08-16.
Designated areas in Bexley
Conservation areas London Borough of Bexley has published to the national register, and when it designated them. Where a borough has supplied no Article 4 data the row is omitted rather than shown as zero.
| Conservation areas on the register | 31 |
|---|---|
| First designatedOf the 22 whose designation date the register records | 1,973 |
| Most recent designation | 2,005 |
Source: MHCLG Planning Data Platform. Open Government Licence v3.0 Extracted 2026-08-16.
If London Borough of Bexley refuses: appeal outcomes
Planning appeals against London Borough of Bexley determined by the Planning Inspectorate, 2021–2026. Enforcement notices and withdrawn cases are excluded.
| Appeals determined | 371 |
|---|---|
| Allowed | 113 |
| Dismissed | 258 |
| Householder appeals allowedFrom 169 householder appeals. England average 36% | 35% |
Source: Planning Inspectorate appeals casework. Open Government Licence v3.0 Extracted 2026-08-16.
Planning Drawings for Bexley homes: the package and the process
A planning set is judged as a set, not as individual sheets. Every existing drawing needs its proposed counterpart at the same scale and orientation so the officer can read the change at a glance, each sheet needs its own number, title, scale bar and north point, and the whole package needs to survive being printed at A3 without a dimension becoming illegible.
We draw to the conventions validation teams expect: plans and elevations at 1:100 or 1:50, a location plan at 1:1250 with the site edged red, a block plan at 1:500, and sections cut where the change in level or roof form actually happens rather than where they are easiest to draw.
The drawing list itself changes with the building. A detached house needs four elevations; a mid-terrace needs two plus a section through the party walls to show what is not visible from outside. Getting that list right at the start is what stops a validation officer asking for a sheet three weeks in.
What is included in a planning drawing set?
A council will only validate an application that contains the right drawings at the right scale. Our standard planning set covers everything a London validation team expects.
- Site location plan (1:1250) and block plan (1:500)
- Existing floor plans, elevations and sections
- Proposed floor plans, elevations and sections
- Roof plans where relevant, with heights and materials annotated
- A design and access or heritage statement where the borough requires one
How are planning drawings different from building regulations drawings?
Planning drawings show what the building will look like and how it sits in its context. Building regulations drawings show how it will be built safely — structure, insulation, fire escape and drainage. Most projects need both; our Complete package covers the two together with structural calculations coordinated in-house.
How quickly can you produce planning drawings in London?
After a laser survey, a standard householder set is typically ready within 7 days. We review every drawing against your borough's validation checklist before it reaches a planner's desk, which is why our first-time approval rate sits around 96%.
| Drawing | Typical scale | What it shows |
|---|---|---|
| Site location plan | 1:1250 | The property in its street context, site edged red |
| Block plan | 1:500 | The building's footprint and position in the plot |
| Floor plans (existing & proposed) | 1:100 / 1:50 | Room layout, walls, openings and the proposed changes |
| Elevations (existing & proposed) | 1:100 / 1:50 | Each face of the building and how it changes |
| Sections | 1:100 / 1:50 | A cut through showing heights, levels and roof form |
Planning Drawings across Bexley
Planning Drawings in Bexley — FAQs
What scale should London planning drawings be?+
Do I need an architect to produce planning drawings?+
How many revisions are included in the fee?+
Can you draw from my existing plans?+
Do planning drawings guarantee approval?+
Do I need planning permission for an extension in Bexley?+
Can I build a bigger extension because Bexley plots are larger?+
What extra control applies in Old Bexley Village or around Danson Park?+
How long does Bexley Council take to decide?+
How much do planning drawings cost in Bexley?+
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