Kitchen extension drawings
Kitchen extension drawings are the existing and proposed plans, elevations and sections that a council or a builder works from. DrawingsDirect, MCIAT chartered architectural technologists, draws them for kitchen extensions across London and Essex, with rear extension drawings from £695, and checks the depth against permitted development first.
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What kitchen extension plans need to show
Most kitchen extensions are single-storey additions at the back of the house, so the set is built around a rear extension: the existing ground floor, the proposed ground floor with the new kitchen and dining layout, the side and rear elevations and a section through the new roof and floor. Heights, depths and boundary distances are dimensioned so a council officer can check them against the rules.
The same drawings then feed Building Regulations. Our building regulations drawings service adds the construction detail, and our rear extension drawings page describes the planning set. For the wider picture of a larger scheme, see house extension drawings.
How far can a kitchen extension go without planning permission?
Under the General Permitted Development Order 2015 (Schedule 2, Part 1, Class A), a single-storey rear extension can extend 3 metres from the back of a house other than a detached one, or 4 metres from a detached house. Those limits are for houses that still have their rights; flats, listed buildings and homes under an Article 4 direction are treated differently.
Beyond those depths there is a prior approval route for a larger home extension: up to 6 metres from a house other than a detached one, or 8 metres from a detached house. Our guide to prior approval for larger home extensions explains how it works.
From 1 April 2026 the statutory fee for a prior approval for a householder larger rear extension under Part 1, Class A is £249, paid to the council.
Prior approval in practice
Our analysis of MHCLG planning application statistics, table PS1 (released 24 Sep 2026, quarters to 2026 Q2) shows that local planning authorities in England determined 8,343 larger home extension prior approvals, granted and refused together, over the eight quarters from 2024 Q3 to 2026 Q2.
The council decides it on the information you send, including neighbour comments, which makes clear drawings part of the application rather than an extra.
Prior approval fee and our drawing fee
From 1 April 2026 the statutory fee for a prior approval for a householder larger rear extension under Part 1, Class A is £249, paid to the council. A full householder application has a separate fee; our guide to rear extension costs in London puts the fees beside the build cost.
Our fixed fee for rear extension drawings starts from £695, and the pricing page lists the rest. Redraws are free when a council asks for amendments.
Planning your kitchen layout alongside the structure
A kitchen extension is also a layout problem: where the hob and sink sit, where the doors open onto the garden, and how a new opening in the old rear wall will be supported. Drawing these early lets the structural engineer and the kitchen designer work from one plan.
If the kitchen wraps round the side as well as the back, our guide to wraparound extension costs in London shows what drives the budget. The rules are on legislation.gov.uk.
Sources
Every figure on this page, where it comes from and a link to the original.
| Figure | Source | Link |
|---|---|---|
| 8,343 | Our analysis of MHCLG planning application statistics, table PS1 (district open data table) (released 24 Sep 2026, quarters to 2026 Q2) | www.gov.uk |
| 3 metres | GPDO 2015 Sch 2 Pt 1 Class A.1(f)(i): single-storey rear extension max depth, house other than detached (source wording: 3 metres) | www.legislation.gov.uk |
| 4 metres | GPDO 2015 Sch 2 Pt 1 Class A.1(f)(i): single-storey rear extension max depth, detached house (source wording: 4 metres) | www.legislation.gov.uk |
| 6 metres | GPDO 2015 Sch 2 Pt 1 Class A.1(g): larger home extension (prior approval, A.4) max depth, house other than detached (source wording: 6 metres) | www.legislation.gov.uk |
| 8 metres | GPDO 2015 Sch 2 Pt 1 Class A.1(g): larger home extension (prior approval, A.4) max depth, detached house (source wording: 8 metres) | www.legislation.gov.uk |
| £249 | Statutory fee from 1 April 2026: prior approval for a householder larger rear extension (GPDO Part 1 Class A) | assets.publishing.service.gov.uk |
| £695 | DrawingsDirect starting fixed fee for rear extension drawings, from the published price list | drawingsdirect.co.uk |
Questions people ask
Do I need planning permission for a kitchen extension?
What are the kitchen extension plans I need for a builder?
Do you draw kitchen extensions in Essex as well as London?
How much is the prior approval fee for a larger rear extension?
Photographs: Derek Harper (CC BY-SA 2.0).
