Two-storey extensions in Havering depend on the house. Typical homes here: 1930s semi-detached houses in Hornchurch, Elm Park, Upminster, Harold Wood, Collier Row and Gidea Park; Edwardian and garden-suburb houses on the Gidea Park exhibition estate. Designations to check first: Green Belt; Gidea Park Article 4 direction; Conservation areas. Applications are decided by London Borough of Havering and the Havering Local Plan 2016–2031 (adopted 2021).
The permitted development rules for two-storey extensions
A two-storey rear extension is permitted development only within tight limits: no more than 3 m deep, at least 7 m from the rear boundary, no higher than the existing house, eaves matching the existing eaves, materials similar in appearance, and any upper-floor side window obscure-glazed and non-opening below 1.7 m.
Most two-storey extensions exceed one of those limits, most often the 7 m rear boundary rule on London plots, so the usual route is a householder planning application. Flats have no permitted development rights.
What changes in Havering
Extensions of more than one storey are not permitted development in a conservation area, so planning permission is always needed there.
The local constraints that most often decide the route in Havering are listed below, taken from our Havering area page. Each one is a reason to confirm the address on Havering's constraints map before relying on permitted development.
- Green Belt. Around half of Havering is Green Belt, covering Havering-atte-Bower, Noak Hill, Harold Hill's northern edge, North Ockendon, Cranham's fringes and the Rainham and Wennington marshes. Source
- Gidea Park Article 4 direction. The Gidea Park garden suburb conservation area has a long-standing Article 4 direction removing permitted development for extensions, roof alterations, windows, porches, boundary walls and hard standings. Source
- Conservation areas. Havering's conservation areas include Gidea Park, Havering-atte-Bower, Cranham, Corbets Tey, Rainham Village, North Ockendon, St Andrew's Hornchurch and Langtons. Source
- Thames and river flood risk. Rainham, Wennington, South Hornchurch and the Beam Park area sit in tidal Flood Zone 3 behind the Thames defences, and the Rivers Rom, Ingrebourne and Beam put parts of Romford, Hornchurch, Harold Wood and Elm Park in Flood Zones 2 and 3. Source
- Listed buildings. Rainham Hall, Upminster Tithe Barn and windmill, Langtons and the village cores of Havering-atte-Bower and North Ockendon contain listed buildings. Source
What Havering planning officers look for
Common refusal reasons are two-storey side extensions flush with the front wall, rear extensions deeper than the neighbour's, front dormers, and outbuildings in the Green Belt. The council offers paid pre-application advice and decisions often run beyond 8 weeks, so allow 10–14 weeks.
Fees and timelines
Havering decides a householder application or a Lawful Development Certificate within 8 weeks of validation. The council fee is £528 for a householder application and £264 for a Lawful Development Certificate (England, from 1 April 2025; verify before applying).
Our own fee is fixed once quoted. The quote tool gives an indicative figure in minutes and a written quote follows within 24 hours.
Primary sources
- The Town and Country Planning (General Permitted Development) (England) Order 2015, Schedule 2: the permitted development limits quoted above.
- Planning Portal: do you need permission: the national guidance and the application service every council accepts.
- London Borough of Havering: planning: the council's own constraints map, validation checklist and pre-application service.
