Tower Hamlets has one of London's highest conservation area coverages at 43%, which affects many rear extension proposals. Householder approvals in Tower Hamlets run at around 72% with an average decision time of 11 weeks.
In Tower Hamlets, whether a rear extension needs planning permission depends on specific constraints — conservation area, Article 4, listed status or flood risk. Check your address to see which apply.
Rear extensions are permitted development for houses (not flats) within specific size and height limits set by the GPDO, Schedule 2, Part 1, Class A.
Read the full rear extension planning guide for the national rules and application process.
The CanUBuild checker surfaces real recent applications close to your address — approvals and refusals — so you can see what the planning officers at Tower Hamlets Council have approved for comparable schemes. Nearby precedent is one of the strongest signals for your own chances.
In Tower Hamlets, the answer depends on whether your property sits in a conservation area (43% of the borough), is listed, or falls within an Article 4 direction. Most rear extension proposals are permitted development for houses when they stay within GPDO limits and no local constraint applies. Check your exact address with the CanUBuild checker before spending on drawings.
Conservation areas in Tower Hamlets typically remove several permitted development freedoms. For a rear extension, the Larger Home Extension route and some external alterations do not apply, so a full householder application is usually required. Planning officers at Tower Hamlets Council assess conservation area proposals against the specific character appraisal for the street.
Tower Hamlets Council currently averages around 11 weeks for householder applications. Complex rear extension proposals — particularly those in conservation areas or on listed buildings — can take longer. Prior approval decisions for Larger Home Extensions are typically issued in 42 days.
A single-storey rear extension on a house in Tower Hamlets can be up to 4m deep (detached) or 3m deep (semi/terraced) under standard PD. The Larger Home Extension prior approval route extends this to 8m and 6m respectively, but is not available in conservation areas — which cover 43% of Tower Hamlets.
Address-level constraints and recent decisions around the corner. No drawings needed.