Planning Drawings in Woolwich SE18
Fixed-fee, MCIAT-chartered planning drawings for Woolwich (SE18) homeowners — Royal Borough of Greenwich validation and local constraints handled from the start.
Woolwich (SE18) in the Royal Borough of Greenwich pairs a historic military townscape with one of London's largest riverside regeneration schemes. The Royal Arsenal, Woolwich and Woolwich Common conservation areas cover much of the older fabric, restricting permitted development and requiring consent for demolition and many external works, while the Royal Arsenal Riverside brings 21st-century apartment living to the Thames edge.
For the Georgian and Victorian terraces climbing from the town centre toward Woolwich Common, rear and loft projects are the staple, worked around the conservation-area controls and the setting of the Grade I listed Royal Artillery Barracks. Greenwich does not publish its Article 4 directions to the national register, so we confirm the status for a Woolwich address directly with the council before recommending a route.
Planning in Woolwich (SE18): what to know before you apply
Much of Woolwich sits within the Royal Arsenal, Woolwich or Woolwich Common conservation areas, where demolition and many external alterations need consent and the Royal Arsenal in particular carries strict, heritage-led design guidance. Greenwich does not publish its Article 4 directions to the national register, so permitted-development status can't be confirmed from open data — we check the position for a specific address with the council and design to the borough's conservation guidance.
Typical Woolwich housing stock
Georgian and Victorian terraces on the streets rising from the town centre toward Woolwich Common, the listed military buildings of the Royal Arsenal, and 21st-century apartment blocks within the Royal Arsenal Riverside regeneration.
Streets we regularly draw for in Woolwich
Powis Street · Woolwich New Road · Sandy Hill Road · Rectory Place
What SE18 is actually built of
Measured from 490 classified residential buildings in SE18, not from a description of the area.
Woolwich SE18 housing mix
Residential building form across the SE18 postcode district, from 490 classified buildings.
| Attached on more than one side | 69% |
|---|---|
| Attached on one side | 29% |
| Detached | 2% |
| Median building footprint | 54 m² |
| Addresses per buildingAbove about 2 means flats and maisonettes dominate | 2.06 |
| Buildings classified | 490 |
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.
Planning Drawings for Woolwich (SE18) 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 in Woolwich SE18 — 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 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?+
Get your free Woolwich planning assessment
Tell us your Woolwich (SE18) address and ambition — we'll confirm feasibility, local constraints and a fixed fee within one working day.