Ealing is west London's largest borough, known for its Edwardian and Victorian terraces and semi-detached houses. It has a substantial stock of housing suitable for extension, and conservation areas in Ealing, Hanwell, and Northfields mean that some areas face additional scrutiny. Overall, Ealing is considered a practical, pragmatic borough for standard residential extensions.
Common projects that may be straightforward when they fit within PD limits and local constraints.
These are the usual reasons planning permission becomes more likely in Ealing.
The biggest drivers of approval are the exact proposal (dimensions and design) and the exact site constraints (designation, conditions, neighbour impacts). Use borough context as a starting point, then validate it with address-level checks and nearby precedents.
Projects that stay modest in size, match materials, and avoid obvious neighbour impacts are more likely to be straightforward — even before you consider borough-specific policies.
Conservation areas, listed buildings, Article 4 directions, flood risk and TPOs can flip the answer. Address-level checks stop you wasting money on the wrong scheme.
The fastest signal is what the council has approved or refused on comparable streets nearby. Precedent does not guarantee success, but it helps you shape a lower-risk design.
Councils rarely refuse the "idea" of an extension or loft conversion — refusals are usually about scale, design, neighbour impacts, and policy/designation conflicts. When you run a check, CanUBuild shows nearby approvals and refusals so you can see what has worked locally.
An invalid application cannot be registered. Use this checklist to ensure your submission is complete before you pay the fee.
Requirements can change — always verify the current validation checklist on the Ealing Council website before submitting.
Search the address, choose your project type, and get an answer based on permitted development rules, local constraints, and nearby precedent decisions.
Many Ealing properties can be extended under permitted development — subject to the standard limits (typically up to 4m for a detached house, 3m for attached, or up to 8m/6m under the prior approval neighbour consultation scheme). Conservation area properties face additional restrictions.
The Larger Home Extension scheme allows extensions up to 8m (detached) or 6m (semi/terraced) beyond the rear wall without a full planning application, subject to a prior approval process where neighbours are consulted. This applies across Ealing as it does nationally.
There are some conservation area designations in Southall, but much of the residential area is not designated. Check your specific address on Ealing's interactive planning map.
The council applies the 45-degree rule — if a new window in a flank wall or an extension overlooks a neighbouring window within a 45-degree angle, this is likely to be a reason for refusal. The rule is applied to both planning applications and is a design consideration even for PD schemes.
Last reviewed: 2026-03 · This guide is for general information only. Always verify with Ealing Council or a qualified planning consultant before making decisions.