HMO Conversion Drawings in Greenwich
Fixed-fee, MCIAT-chartered hmo conversion drawings for Greenwich homeowners — Royal Borough of Greenwich validation and local constraints handled from the start.
Greenwich stretches from the Georgian streets of West Greenwich and the Georgian-fringed heath at Blackheath — set against the Maritime Greenwich World Heritage Site — out to the Edwardian villas of Westcombe Park and the interwar and post-war suburbs of Eltham and Kidbrooke. The northern, historic core carries strong conservation and protected-view control, while the outer suburbs and newer riverside development along the Thames offer more generous plots for extensions and lofts. The right route depends heavily on where in the borough you are.
The character shifts street by street. Conservation areas at West Greenwich, Ashburnham Triangle, Blackheath, Westcombe Park, Eltham Park and Woolwich each carry design control over materials, rooflines and front elevations, and the sloping sites around Blackheath and the Greenwich hills shape what an extension can be. Protected views toward the Royal Observatory and across the river, together with Article 4 directions on HMO conversions in parts of the borough, mean the constraints on a heritage-led scheme in the historic core differ sharply from a straightforward suburban addition toward Eltham or Charlton.
We prepare Greenwich planning drawings tuned to the specific area — heritage-led applications around West Greenwich and Blackheath, and simpler extension and loft schemes toward Eltham and Kidbrooke — confirming the World Heritage Site setting and conservation designations for your address first. It is the same council-accepted drawing set an architect would prepare, usually at around 30% less, with a fixed fee agreed up front, a roughly seven-day drawing turnaround and free redraws until the Royal Borough of Greenwich approves. Most householder applications are decided within the statutory eight-week period once validated, so we draw to the council's validation checklist from the start.
Planning in Greenwich: what to know before you apply
A distinctive Greenwich consideration is the Maritime Greenwich World Heritage Site and its buffer zone, where the council protects townscape and long views toward the Royal Observatory — proposals nearby are assessed against that setting. Conservation-area control in West Greenwich, Blackheath and Westcombe Park, and Article 4 directions on HMO conversions in parts of the borough, also apply. We confirm what affects your address before drawing.
Typical Greenwich housing stock
Georgian and early-Victorian terraces around West Greenwich and Blackheath, Edwardian villas in Westcombe Park, interwar and post-war housing toward Eltham and Kidbrooke, and newer riverside development along the Thames.
Areas we regularly draw for in Greenwich
Greenwich · Blackheath · Westcombe Park · Charlton · Woolwich · Eltham · Kidbrooke
HMO Conversion Drawings for Greenwich homes: the package and the process
Every hmo conversion drawings we prepare for a Greenwich property is drawn to Royal Borough of Greenwich’s validation standards and tuned to the local constraints above. Here is what the drawing package covers and how the process runs from first survey to approval.
A House in Multiple Occupation (HMO) is a property let to three or more unrelated occupants sharing kitchen, bathroom or living facilities. A small HMO — three to six sharers — normally falls into Use Class C4, while a large HMO of seven or more occupants is sui generis, sitting entirely outside the Use Classes Order. Both routes trigger licensing requirements, and in many London boroughs an Article 4 direction removes the usual permitted development right to convert a family home (C3) into a small HMO (C4), meaning full planning permission is needed even for a straightforward conversion.
DrawingsDirect draws HMO conversions to the standard your borough's planning and licensing teams both expect — minimum room sizes, amenity provision, fire safety and means of escape — so one set of drawings supports both the planning application, where needed, and the licensing submission. We check whether an Article 4 direction applies to your property before you commit to a route, and coordinate fire safety and structural detail in-house.
C4 small HMO or sui generis large HMO — which applies to your property?
The distinction matters because it decides which rules apply. A small HMO housing three to six unrelated sharers who share amenities is Class C4. A large HMO of seven or more occupants is sui generis and always needs planning permission, since sui generis uses sit outside the permitted development system entirely. The line also shifts with occupancy — a property let to six sharers today can tip into sui generis territory the moment a seventh tenancy is signed, which changes the planning position even though nothing about the building itself has changed. We assess your proposed occupancy and layout against both definitions before drawing, so the application matches how the property will actually be let.
Do I need planning permission for an HMO conversion in London?
Converting a family home (C3) into a small HMO (C4) is technically permitted development under national rules, but a large number of London boroughs have made an Article 4 direction that removes this right across all or part of the borough — meaning a full planning application is required even for a small, compliant HMO. Article 4 directions vary street by street in some boroughs, so two similar houses a few doors apart can sit on opposite sides of the line. Any large HMO (sui generis) needs planning permission everywhere, regardless of Article 4. We check your specific address against the relevant borough's Article 4 direction before recommending a route, since guessing wrong wastes both time and application fees.
| Factor | C4 small HMO (3–6 sharers) | Sui generis large HMO (7+) |
|---|---|---|
| Use class | C4 | Sui generis |
| Planning permission | Often needed due to Article 4 directions in most boroughs | Always needed |
| Licensing | Mandatory if 5+ occupants; additional licensing in many boroughs | Mandatory |
| Typical drawing package | From £1,400 | Full planning + building regs, from £2,200 |
HMO Conversion Drawings across Greenwich
HMO Conversion Drawings in Greenwich — FAQs
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Do I need planning permission for an extension in Greenwich?+
How does the Maritime Greenwich World Heritage Site affect my project?+
Can I extend a home in Blackheath or Westcombe Park?+
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