Most loft conversions in Ealing go ahead without a full planning application, because they fall under permitted development rights. That said, the volume limits, conservation areas and flat-versus-house distinctions catch a lot of homeowners out, so it pays to check before you commit.
If you own a house (not a flat or maisonette), you can usually convert your loft under permitted development without applying for planning permission. The key limits are on added volume: up to 40 cubic metres for terraced houses and 50 cubic metres for detached and semi-detached homes, measured against the original roof as it stood in 1948 or when first built.
There are conditions attached. Dormers and extensions cannot sit forward of the original roof plane facing a road, materials should be similar in appearance to the existing house, and any side-facing windows must be obscure-glazed and non-opening below 1.7 metres. A rear dormer is the most common Ealing project that stays within these rules.
Permitted development rights are removed or reduced in several situations that are common across the borough. Flats and maisonettes never have permitted development for loft conversions, so a full application is always required. Many of Ealing's conservation areas, such as parts of Bedford Park, Pitshanger and Hanwell, have tighter controls, and an Article 4 Direction can strip out rights entirely.
You will also need permission if your home is listed, if the work exceeds the volume allowances, or if a previous owner already used up the allowance with an earlier extension. When in doubt, the safest first step is to apply to Ealing Council for a Lawful Development Certificate, which formally confirms the work is permitted and is invaluable when you come to sell.
Planning permission and Building Regulations are two separate things, and a loft conversion always needs Building Regs approval even when planning is not required. This covers the structural beams, fire safety, the staircase and adequate insulation.
The big one people miss is fire escape. Once a loft becomes a habitable third storey, you usually need a protected stairway running to the front door and mains-wired interconnected smoke alarms. Stair pitch, head height of around 2 metres at the centre, and floor joist strength all get signed off by a building control inspector or an approved inspector.
Most Ealing terraces and semis share a party wall, and inserting steel beams or building a dormer against it brings you under the Party Wall etc. Act 1996. You must serve written notice on adjoining owners, typically two months before structural work starts.
This is not a planning matter, but it can delay a project if left late. A simple notice often gets a quick consent from a reasonable neighbour, while a dispute may mean appointing a party wall surveyor, which can add a few hundred to over a thousand pounds depending on the arrangement.
A householder planning application or Lawful Development Certificate normally takes around eight weeks for a decision from validation. Conservation area or listed building cases can run longer if extra consultation is needed.
Roof windows that sit flush with the slope and do not project beyond it almost always fall under permitted development for houses. They still need Building Regulations sign-off for structure, insulation and fire safety.
Flats and maisonettes have no permitted development rights for loft conversions, so you will always need a full planning application. You will also need the freeholder's consent and to check your lease before going ahead.
Tell us about the house and what you are planning. A quick chat with Steve is usually enough to point you the right way.