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Rear extension drawings for a Victorian terrace in Belvedere DA17, London Borough of Bexley
Belvedere · DA17 · Bexley

Double Storey Extension Drawings in Belvedere DA17

Fixed-fee, MCIAT-chartered double storey extension drawings for Belvedere (DA17) homeowners — London Borough of Bexley validation and local constraints handled from the start.

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Belvedere in DA17 is a mixed outer south-east suburb by the Thames marshes, blending Victorian terraces, interwar semis and post-war housing. The everyday work here is rear extensions, loft conversions and side-return infills on unlisted family homes that typically sit within permitted development.

The conservation areas along Woolwich Road and Erith Road, plus the low-lying riverside setting, mean design control and flood risk both need care, so we detail schemes near those frontages and on lower plots to the standard London Borough of Bexley expects while keeping ordinary suburban projects efficient.

Rear extension drawings for a Victorian terrace in Belvedere DA17, London Borough of Bexley
Isometric illustration of a Belvedere DA17 home double storey extension drawings design
Proposed floor plan
Belvedere DA17

Planning in Belvedere (DA17): what to know before you apply

No published householder Article 4 direction applies in Belvedere; the main constraints are the Woolwich Road and Erith Road conservation areas and flood risk on lower riverside plots. Most Victorian, interwar and post-war houses away from designated frontages retain normal permitted development rights.

Typical Belvedere housing stock

Belvedere is an outer south-east suburb beside the Thames marshes with a mix of Victorian terraces, interwar semis and post-war housing on gently rising ground. Most homes are unlisted family houses with rear gardens, well suited to rear extensions, loft conversions and side infills that generally fall within permitted development.

Streets we regularly draw for in Belvedere

Kingswood Avenue · Napier Road · Ripley Road · Battle Road

Double Storey Extension Drawings for Belvedere (DA17) homes: the package and the process

Every double storey extension drawings we prepare for an Belvedere property is drawn to London Borough of Bexley’s validation standards and tuned to the DA17 constraints above. Here is what the drawing package covers and how the process runs from first survey to approval.

A double storey extension builds a second floor above a single-storey side or rear addition, typically adding a bedroom and bathroom upstairs over a widened kitchen or reception room below. Because the foundations and roof of a single-storey extension already carry most of the fixed cost of building, adding a floor on top is often the most cost-effective way to gain two rooms rather than two separate projects. The trade-off is scrutiny: a two-storey addition sits closer to eye level with neighbouring windows and gardens, so councils examine massing, roofline and boundary distance more closely than they would a single-storey extension.

DrawingsDirect draws double storey side and rear extensions for full planning and building regulations, with structural calculations for the additional floor load and foundations produced in-house by our MCIAT-chartered team, on a fixed fee. If a single storey is enough, see our Rear Extension and Side Return Extension pages, or combine both with a Wraparound if you are extending sideways as well as up.

Do I need planning permission for a double storey extension in London?

Almost always. Permitted development rights for two-storey extensions are far more restrictive than for single-storey work, particularly on how close the new structure can come to a boundary and how closely its roof pitch and eaves height must match the existing house, so most double storey projects are drawn and submitted as full householder planning applications rather than relying on permitted development.

Where the property sits in a conservation area or is subject to an Article 4 direction, any remaining permitted development allowance for a second storey is typically removed entirely, reinforcing the need for a full application. We check your property's status and your borough's design guidance before drawing.

How do councils control the impact of a double storey extension on neighbours?

Because a second storey introduces new windows and massing at first-floor level, London boroughs apply design guidance aimed specifically at protecting neighbouring light, privacy and outlook.

  • The 45-degree rule, tested at neighbouring windows, to check the extension does not block an unreasonable amount of daylight
  • A common design expectation that a two-storey side extension is set in roughly 1 metre from the shared boundary, rather than built hard against it
  • A first floor commonly set back from the ground floor front elevation, so the upper storey reads as subordinate to the main house from the street
  • Obscure or high-level glazing on flank walls facing directly into a neighbour's garden or windows, to limit overlooking
Extending once vs twice: single versus double storey
OptionWhat it addsTypical fee
Single-storey rear extensionA ground-floor kitchen-diner only, may qualify for permitted developmentsee Rear Extension Drawings, from £1,100
Double storey side or rear extensionTwo rooms across two floors, usually needs full planningFull Planning pack ~£1,600–£2,400
Double storey + Building Regulations (structural)Combined pack including structural calculations for two-floor loads and foundationsPlanning + Building Regs pack ~£2,200–£3,850
Wraparound (rear + side return)Combines two single-storey extensions into one L-shaped ground floorsee Wraparound Extension Drawings, from £2,200
FAQ

Double Storey Extension Drawings in Belvedere DA17 — FAQs

How much does a double storey extension cost to design in London?+
Double storey extension drawings start from £2,400, covering full planning permission and structural design for the additional floor. A combined planning and building regulations package with full structural calculations runs up to around £3,850, fixed and agreed upfront.
Do I need planning permission to add a second storey?+
In almost all cases, yes. Permitted development rights for two-storey extensions are much tighter than for single-storey work, particularly around boundary distance and roof matching, so we design double storey projects on the assumption a full householder planning application is required.
Will a double storey extension overlook my neighbour's garden?+
That is exactly what planning officers check, using the 45-degree daylight rule alongside boundary set-in and first-floor set-back guidance. Where a new flank window would look directly into a neighbour's garden, we typically specify obscure or high-level glazing to address it before submission rather than after an objection.
Do I need an architect for a double storey extension?+
No. DrawingsDirect is an MCIAT-chartered architectural technologist practice, producing the same council-accepted drawings and in-house structural coordination as an architect, for a fixed fee typically around 30% lower, with structural calculations for the additional floor produced by the same team rather than a separately appointed engineer.
How long does it take to get double storey extension drawings?+
Drawings are typically ready around 7 days from survey. A householder planning application then has a statutory 8-week determination period once submitted.
Do I need planning permission for an extension in Bexley?+
Bexley has no borough-wide Article 4 direction affecting typical householder permitted development, so its semi-detached homes often keep fuller rights than inner-London terraces — larger rear and single-storey extensions can qualify. Conservation areas such as Old Bexley Village and Danson Park, and riverside flood-zone constraints toward Erith, restrict this. We check your address first and can confirm permitted development with a Lawful Development Certificate.
Can I build a bigger extension because Bexley plots are larger?+
Often, yes. The generous interwar plots across Bexleyheath, Sidcup and Welling make substantial rear and double-storey extensions viable where a tight terrace could not. The limit is usually design and amenity policy rather than space. We design to use the plot fully within permitted-development allowances or a well-evidenced full application.
What extra control applies in Old Bexley Village or around Danson Park?+
These conservation areas carry design control over materials, rooflines and front elevations, and the Upton area of Bexleyheath includes the setting of William Morris's Red House. Permitted development is often restricted there, so we design to the area's character and prepare a full, context-led application where a standard permitted-development route doesn't apply.
How long does Bexley Council take to decide?+
Bexley determines most householder applications within the statutory eight-week period once validated; conservation cases can involve additional consultation. A complete, correctly scaled submission is the best way to avoid a validation query — we prepare Bexley drawings to the council's checklist to keep the application on track.
How much do planning drawings cost in Bexley?+
We quote a fixed fee upfront, typically around 30% below an architect's charge for the same council-accepted drawings, with free redraws until Bexley approves. Because plots here allow larger schemes, the fee tracks complexity — a single-storey rear differs from a double-storey — and we confirm it once we understand your plans.
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