Planning and building regulation drawings in West Kensington (W14)
West Kensington is largely a district of flats. The late-Victorian red-brick mansion blocks and tall terraced houses were laid out by the Gunter estate, many of them now subdivided, with further mansion blocks toward Barons Court. Gunterstone Road, Comeragh Road, Gledstanes Road, Sinclair Road and North End Road are among its streets. Many owners here hold a flat in a mansion block or in a divided house rather than a single family home.
- MCIAT chartered technologists
- London Borough of Hammersmith & Fulham granted 99% of 560 householder applications
- Drawings in about 7 days
That shapes the work. A flat owner may be looking at internal reconfiguration, or at a loft or rear change that affects other households in the building. Roof, rear and party-wall changes are closely assessed because they touch several households at once, and householder permitted development rights do not apply to flats. For a house that is still a single dwelling, loft and rear schemes are the main options on the tall terraced form.
Three conservation areas apply: Gunter Estate, which protects the planned red-brick mansion-flat and terrace layout, Barons Court to the south, and Sinclair Road on the northern edge. Hammersmith & Fulham applies Article 4 directions to HMO conversions in parts of the borough, which is relevant if a house is to be let to three or more unrelated sharers. We check which area your address falls in, and what the building's ownership and lease mean for the scheme, before we draw.
Planning in West Kensington: what to know before you apply
In W14 the conservation area is often the first question, and Hammersmith & Fulham controls design closely within its areas, so roofs, frontages and rear changes are read against the original planned layout. Where a building is flatted, proposals affect several households and consent from the freeholder can be needed alongside planning, and party-wall matters follow separately. Below-ground works engage the borough's basement policy and an impact assessment. In parts of the borough, Article 4 directions withdraw permitted development for HMO conversions, and for some works within conservation areas. We confirm what applies to your exact address first.
Applications are decided by London Borough of Hammersmith & Fulham — its planning pages.
Does your West Kensington project need planning permission?
West Kensington (W14) in numbers
What London Borough of Hammersmith & Fulham has decided, and what W14 is built of — the two facts that shape every job here.
Householder planning decisions — London Borough of Hammersmith & Fulham
West Kensington (W14) applications are decided by London Borough of Hammersmith & Fulham; these are its published householder figures for the last four quarters.
| Householder applications decided2025 Q2 to 2026 Q1 | 560 |
|---|---|
| Granted | 552 |
| Refused | 8 |
| Grantedof 560 decisions · England 90% | 99% |
| Decided within 8 weeksof 207, excluding prior approvals | 90% |
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 Hammersmith & Fulham
How the larger-home-extension route has fared with London Borough of Hammersmith & Fulham, which decides W14 notifications.
| Larger home extension prior approvals — not required2024 Q2 to 2026 Q1 | 0 |
|---|---|
| Prior approval granted | 5 |
| Prior approval refused | 1 |
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 Hammersmith & Fulham
Refusals in W14 can be appealed to the Planning Inspectorate; this is London Borough of Hammersmith & Fulham's householder appeal record.
| Householder appeals determined2021–2026 | 105 |
|---|---|
| Allowed | 44 |
| Allowedof 105 · England 36% | 42% |
Source: Planning Inspectorate appeals casework. Open Government Licence v3.0 Extracted 2026-09-22.
Conservation areas and Article 4 directions — London Borough of Hammersmith & Fulham
Register counts for London Borough of Hammersmith & Fulham. A count describes what the council has published, never a rank against another council.
| Conservation areas in the register | 47 |
|---|
Source: MHCLG Planning Data Platform. Open Government Licence v3.0 Extracted 2026-09-22.
What W14 is built of
Residential building form across West Kensington (W14), from 412 classified buildings — the fact that decides party walls, side returns and loft headroom before any policy does.
| Attached on more than one side | 78% |
|---|---|
| Attached on one side | 19% |
| Detached | 3% |
| Median building footprint | 74 m² |
| Addresses per buildingAbove about 2 means flats and maisonettes dominate | 3.83 |
| Buildings classified | 412 |
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 West Kensington 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 Hammersmith & Fulham’s checklist and submit on your behalf.
- Council: 8-week targetHouseholder applications carry an 8-week statutory target. London Borough of Hammersmith & Fulham decided 90% of 207 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 W14
Nearby postcode districts
West Kensington (W14) — FAQs
Do I need planning permission for a loft conversion in a West Kensington mansion flat?+
Which conservation area is my West Kensington street in?+
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