Planning drawings in Hackney, £895 fixed

What is the householder approval rate in Hackney?

Hackney Council granted 351 of 415 householder decisions (84.6%) from 1 July 2025 to 30 June 2026, with larger home extension prior approvals counted in. That is 1.2 points below London's 85.8% (20,556 of 23,967), and 64 of its 415 decisions were not granted. Rank 19 counts the 32 boroughs with 50+ decisions (one has fewer). Source: MHCLG PS2. Compare all boroughs: London approval rates table.

What does Hackney Council need to validate an application?

• Hackney’s validation checklist wants every drawing scaled to print at A3 or smaller, stating the paper size and scale, with a scale bar showing one and ten metres, key dimensions and a north point, as PDFs of no more than 20MB each. The checklist page shows no date. (source)
• A householder application needs a design and access statement only if the property is in a conservation area. (source)
• Photographs are required for any development affecting a conservation area or a listed building. (source)
• A basement in a Critical Drainage Area, or where surface water flood risk is high or groundwater flood risk elevated, needs a flood risk assessment even in flood zone 1. (source)
• The checklist asks for a fire safety reasonable exception statement on any planning application where the applicant does not consider a fire statement to be required. (source)

Article 4 directions in Hackney

three Article 4 directions below remove permitted development rights in Hackney. Check an address with the permitted development checker.

• Brownswood and Well Street conservation areas. Directions made on 9 May 2024 took effect on 9 May 2025, removing some householder permitted development rights, covering alterations around a house, minor works and renewable energy installations. (source)
• Beck Road conservation area. A direction made on 28 May 2024 took effect on 28 May 2025, removing the same kinds of householder rights. (source)
• Shacklewell Green conservation area (part). Since 22 October 2019, houses on April Street, Perch Street, Seal Street and 97–129 (odd) Shacklewell Lane have lost permitted development rights under Part 1 Classes A to H and Part 2 Classes A to C, which cover extensions, roof alterations, porches, outbuildings, hardstandings, fences and exterior painting. (source)

Hackney has 35 conservation areas; the first, in 1969, were Clapton Square, Clapton Common, Clapton Pond and Clissold Park. (source)

How long does a planning decision take in Hackney?

Hackney decided 247 householder applications from 1 July 2025 to 30 June 2026, prior approvals excluded; 223 of them (90.3%) took eight weeks or less.

• Hackney aims to decide householder applications within 8 weeks of the valid date. If information or the fee is missing, it writes within 5 days and allows 28 days to supply it. (source)
• Written householder pre-application advice costs £310 including VAT from 1 April 2026 (£430 for a listed building), with follow-up advice at half price. (source)

Design guidance: Residential Extensions and Alterations SPD (December 2025). The council’s adoption statement says it was adopted on 19 January 2026 (its SPD page says adopted in December 2025 and in effect from January 2026). Replacing the 2009 SPD, it limits single-storey rear extensions to 3m deep on terraced houses, 3.5m on semis and 4m on detached houses, and says roof extensions on an unaltered roofline in a conservation area will not generally be acceptable.

Drawings and prices in Hackney

• architectural drawings service for Hackney homeowners: £895.
• drawings for building control approval: £795.
• plans for a dormer, hip-to-gable or mansard loft

Do I need planning permission? · Certificate of lawfulness from £950.

Neighbouring boroughs

Council facts checked 14 October 2026.