Planning and building regulation drawings in Plaistow (E13)
Plaistow was built quickly. The old West Ham filled with workers' housing as the docks, the railways and the factories drew people in, and the result is a tight grid of two-storey terraces in London stock brick, from Boleyn Road to the streets named Dacre, Cecil, Selwyn and Harold. Because the terraces run unbroken from one end of a street to the other, a house here is judged as one link in a chain rather than as a stand-alone building, and that colours how a loft or extension is received.
- MCIAT chartered technologists
- London Borough of Newham granted 87% of 395 householder applications
- Drawings in about 7 days
The commonest jobs follow from the plots. Rear yards and gardens on many of the terraces are shallow, so a single-storey extension can only go so far before it stops being a permitted development matter and becomes a full application. Loft conversions with a rear dormer are widespread, since they add a bedroom without using up garden. Many of the houses are no longer single homes: a good share are shared houses or split into flats, and flat conversions are among the usual projects.
Two things need care on any terrace like this. The first is the party wall, because shared walls on both sides mean the neighbours' interests come with every structural decision, along with overlooking and overshadowing. The second is the front. Changes to the front roof slope of a continuous terrace are looked at closely for the effect on the uniform roofline, whereas the back is far more forgiving. Matching the brick, detailing and tiles is what makes an addition read as part of the street.
Planning in Plaistow: what to know before you apply
Plaistow has no conservation area on record, so Newham treats householder work by its borough-wide limits and design guidance rather than a local heritage rule. A whole house can often use permitted development for a rear extension or rear dormer, subject to size limits, whereas a flat cannot and needs a full application. The council's borough-wide direction on houses in multiple occupation means turning a family house into a shared one requires permission. Neighbouring owners can object, so how a scheme sits against the terrace counts. We check your tenure and the house's history, and then draw to the route that applies.
Applications are decided by London Borough of Newham — its planning pages.
Does your Plaistow project need planning permission?
Plaistow (E13) in numbers
What London Borough of Newham has decided, and what E13 is built of — the two facts that shape every job here.
Householder planning decisions — London Borough of Newham
Plaistow (E13) applications are decided by London Borough of Newham; these are its published householder figures for the last four quarters.
| Householder applications decided2025 Q2 to 2026 Q1 | 395 |
|---|---|
| Granted | 343 |
| Refused | 52 |
| Grantedof 395 decisions · England 90% | 87% |
| Decided within 8 weeksof 246, excluding prior approvals | 95% |
Source: Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (PS2 district planning application statistics). Open Government Licence v3.0 Extracted 2026-09-22.
Permitted development prior approvals — London Borough of Newham
How the larger-home-extension route has fared with London Borough of Newham, which decides E13 notifications.
| Larger home extension prior approvals — not required2024 Q2 to 2026 Q1 | 151 |
|---|---|
| Prior approval granted | 13 |
| Prior approval refused | 44 |
| Grantedof 57 determined | 23% |
Source: Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (PS1 district planning application statistics). Open Government Licence v3.0 Extracted 2026-09-22.
Planning appeals — London Borough of Newham
Refusals in E13 can be appealed to the Planning Inspectorate; this is London Borough of Newham's householder appeal record.
| Householder appeals determined2021–2026 | 95 |
|---|---|
| Allowed | 32 |
| Allowedof 95 · England 36% | 34% |
Source: Planning Inspectorate appeals casework. Open Government Licence v3.0 Extracted 2026-09-22.
Conservation areas and Article 4 directions — London Borough of Newham
Register counts for London Borough of Newham. A count describes what the council has published, never a rank against another council.
| Conservation areas in the register6 dated, 1976–1999 | 8 |
|---|
Source: MHCLG Planning Data Platform. Open Government Licence v3.0 Extracted 2026-09-22.
What E13 is built of
Residential building form across Plaistow (E13), from 414 classified buildings — the fact that decides party walls, side returns and loft headroom before any policy does.
| Attached on more than one side | 80% |
|---|---|
| Attached on one side | 18% |
| Detached | 2% |
| Median building footprint | 55 m² |
| Addresses per buildingAbove about 2 means flats and maisonettes dominate | 1.39 |
| Buildings classified | 414 |
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 2026-09-22.
- Day 0Measured survey of your Plaistow property — or your existing plans if you have them.
- About 7 daysDrawings issued for your approval. Free redraws until you are happy.
- SubmissionWe validate against London Borough of Newham’s checklist and submit on your behalf.
- Council: 8-week targetHouseholder applications carry an 8-week statutory target. London Borough of Newham decided 95% of 246 recent householder applications inside it.
Source: Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (PS2 district planning application statistics). Open Government Licence v3.0 Extracted 2026-09-22.
Streets and neighbourhoods in E13
Nearby postcode districts
Plaistow (E13) — FAQs
Can I convert my Plaistow terrace into flats without permission?+
How far back can I extend a Plaistow terrace?+
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