Free planning check
Free Camden planning permission check
Check in 23 seconds whether your Camden project needs planning permission, and what the council has approved near you. Phase 1 planning drawings: standard rear or side extensions from £995 and loft conversions from £1,495, paid only when the council approves. Council and Portal fees are paid separately at submission.
About the planning data
Checked against 20.6 million UK planning applications on file across 420 planning authorities. Approval rates from 2,343,419 decisions we classified across 181 councils in England.
40
Conservation areas
more than 5,600
Listed buildings
Camden approval rates by project type
Historical approval rates in our archive, grouped by project type. These describe recorded decisions, not the chance of approval for your proposal. Checked against 20.6 million UK planning applications on file across 420 planning authorities. Approval rates from 2,343,419 decisions we classified across 181 councils in England.
| Project type | Approval rate | Decided |
|---|---|---|
| Single-storey rear extension | 94% | 1,925 |
| Two-storey rear extension | 87% | 354 |
| Wraparound extension | 90% | 132 |
| Side extension | 93% | 295 |
| Loft conversion and dormer | 84% | 883 |
| Rooflight | 91% | 850 |
| Outbuilding and garden room | 94% | 323 |
| Porch | 97% | 168 |
| Garage conversion | 98% | 41 |
| Basement | 95% | 1,703 |
| Window and door | 95% | 2,167 |
A rate is only shown where at least 8 applications of that type were decided; smaller samples are shown as unknown. Withdrawn and undecided records are excluded. These figures cover all recorded years, including records without a year. Full Camden approval rates.
Planning in Camden
Start with the rules for your property, then compare projects like yours. London Borough of Camden's planning register lets you check a neighbouring scheme's drawings, decision notice and conditions. A nearby approval can help you understand the council's approach, but different site constraints can change the outcome.
For a home in a conservation area, read the relevant conservation area appraisal alongside the Local Plan. For a listed building, check both planning permission and listed building consent. Use the council's current records to confirm the boundary and any Article 4 direction.
Planning issues to check before you apply
Use your drawings to show how the proposal addresses the site and the council's policies:
- The extension's height, depth and position relative to neighbouring windows and boundaries.
- Privacy, daylight and the amount of usable outdoor space left after the work.
- Materials, roof form and any effect on the character of a conservation area or listed building.
- Protected trees and any site-specific flood or basement constraints.
- Conditions on earlier permissions that may restrict what you can build.
This is a checklist for the proposal, not a ranking of local refusal reasons. The council's decision notice explains the reasons for an individual refusal.
Camden council resources
Authoritative Camden planning sources you can cross-check:
- Camden on planning.data.gov.uk (the council entry in the national planning data platform; coverage varies by dataset)
- London Borough of Camden planning policies (check the current Local Plan and supporting guidance)
- London Borough of Camden planning application search (look up a specific application or see recent decisions)
Application guidance in Camden
Camden's local application requirements page links the supporting-document list published in November 2025. Its development plan page distinguishes the adopted 2017 Local Plan from the new plan under review; match your design to the applicable policies and the appraisal for the conservation area.
- Camden heritage Article 4 directions and affected properties
- Camden conservation areas and appraisals
- Camden local application requirements
- Camden adopted development plan and plan review
Sources reviewed . Check the source maps, wording and effective dates against your property and proposed work.
Allow for the basement assessment and its audit
For new or extended basements, Camden asks for a site-specific Basement Impact Assessment covering drainage, flooding, groundwater and structural stability. Independent technical auditing is generally required. Agree the scope with the appropriate engineer before submission; a small excavation accepted in another case does not exempt a new basement. Read the council guidance.
What reviewed local decisions show
These examples use official planning records. Each identifies the decision date and links to the evidence reviewed. They are not Planning Approvals projects or a prediction for another property.
6 South Hill Park: a flat extension assessed on its actual impacts
2025/0981/P · Committee resolved to grant with conditions, 7 August 2025
This application replaced a rear conservatory at a basement flat. The report assessed the reduced roof bulk, retained garden and neighbouring extensions. Officers considered the limited excavation insufficient to trigger a Basement Impact Assessment in this case, and the committee voted to grant permission.
What to check: Show existing and proposed levels, roof form and landscaping. This was a planning application for a flat, not confirmation of householder permitted development rights or a general exemption from basement assessments.
Read the committee decision · Read the officer report (PDF)
Related guidance: Rear extensions · Basements
19 Charterhouse Street: a resolution with further steps
2025/1683/P · Conditional committee resolution, 7 August 2025
The committee supported the commercial refurbishment and extension subject to conditions, referral to the Mayor, final condition wording and a section 106 agreement. The report and minutes considered stepped-back massing and daylight effects on identified neighbours.
What to check: For larger or commercial projects, check the outstanding referral and legal-agreement requirements as well as the vote. This resolution alone did not establish an immediately implementable permission; it is not a house-extension comparator.
Read the committee decision · Read the officer report (PDF)
Related guidance: Planning timescales
Check the planning register for the issued notice, exact conditions and any later appeal or revised application. A committee resolution is not a substitute for those documents.
Application records to compare
Selected archive records, not a representative sample or a prediction for your address. The descriptions below are archive excerpts and may be shortened; read the original decision and plans before relying on them.
- 2025/0544/P · Recorded approved (2026)
Erection of a single-storey rear extension following demolition of the existing; partial excavation to existing lower ground floor level; installation of par...
Open the council record for 2025/0544/P - 2025/0786/P · Recorded approved (2026)
Erection of a single storey rear extension.
Open the council record for 2025/0786/P
Compare the property type, works and application route. A scheme involving flats or several alterations is not directly comparable to a simple house extension. Read the archive's coverage and limitations.
Prepare for your planning application
Questions about planning in Camden
Do I need planning permission for my project in Camden?
Some house extensions, loft conversions and outbuildings can use permitted development rights in Camden, but size alone does not establish eligibility. Check the property type, previous extensions, planning conditions and the rules for the proposed work. Householder rights do not apply to flats. Conservation areas and Article 4 directions restrict particular rights; they do not automatically require an application for every change. Listed building consent is a separate requirement for works affecting a listed building's special interest.
How long does Camden Council take to decide a planning application?
The usual statutory period for a householder planning application is 8 weeks from a valid application, unless a longer period is agreed. This is a decision period, not a measured average for Camden. Preparing drawings and validation take additional time. Larger home extension prior approval has a 42-day procedure; other prior approval routes have different periods.
What is the planning approval rate in Camden?
It depends on the project type. 94% of 1,925 decided single-storey rear extension applications in Camden were approved. 84% of 883 decided loft conversion and dormer applications in Camden were approved. Checked against 20.6 million UK planning applications on file across 420 planning authorities. Approval rates from 2,343,419 decisions we classified across 181 councils in England. Every project type is on the Camden approval rates page.
Are there Article 4 directions in Camden?
Check London Borough of Camden's published directions for your address and proposed work. An Article 4 direction removes only the permitted development rights specified in that direction, within its defined area. Its map, wording and effective date matter. It does not mean every alteration needs a full planning application.
Read the official guidance on when permission is required, listed buildings and conservation areas and planning decision periods.
Approval rates are computed from 2,343,419 decided applications across 181 councils, published by each council. Local reference counts last reviewed 11 April 2026. The free check is guidance from the public record, not a council decision.