Planning
LiveFree planning permission check - an answer for any English property in about 90 seconds
Free planning check

Free Lewisham planning permission check

Check whether your Lewisham project needs planning permission in 90 seconds. Free, no signup, verified against the London Borough of Lewisham's 29 designated conservation areas, around 370 listed buildings and the council's published Article 4 directions. Extensions, loft conversions, basements, new builds, change of use, outbuildings and prior approvals all covered.

WarningThis tool gives general guidance based on public planning data. It is not legal advice. Always verify with your local planning authority before starting work.

What is the address of the property?

Enter your address or postcode, then click Find address to select the match.

So Jonathan can WhatsApp you your report summary - no calls unless you ask. No spam.

See example reports first - one for every project type, exactly as you'll receive yours.

Free. No obligation. We only ever call if you ask us to.

29
Conservation areas
around 370
Listed buildings
85%
Overall approval rate
9 wks
Typical decision time

Approval rate is the overall planning approval rate for all applications decided by the council, YE Dec 2025, per MHCLG Live Table P124.

Planning in Lewisham

Lewisham is a London planning authority handling the full range of residential projects: rear and side extensions, loft conversions, basement extensions, outbuildings, prior approval applications, new build infill and change of use. Lewisham has 29 designated conservation areas and around 370 listed buildings listed buildings, plus multiple Article 4 directions in force that remove permitted development rights in specific streets. Lewisham covers a deep south-east slice of London from New Cross and Deptford through Blackheath to Sydenham, with Blackheath's Georgian-Victorian stock setting the highest conservation bar in the borough. The council's overall planning approval rate was 85% for year ending December 2025 per MHCLG Live Table P124, reported by the London Borough of Lewisham. If your property sits inside a conservation area, behind an Article 4 direction or on a listed building, assume you will need full planning permission rather than permitted development.

Why Lewisham refuses planning applications

The commonest reasons London Borough of Lewisham officers give when refusing householder planning applications - across extensions, loft conversions, basements, outbuildings and other residential projects - based on published committee reports:

  1. Harm to the character or appearance of a conservation area
  2. Overlooking and loss of privacy to neighbouring windows
  3. Bulk, scale or massing out of character with the terrace
  4. Loss of private amenity space below the 50% retention threshold
  5. Conflict with the council's adopted design or heritage policy

Lewisham council resources

Authoritative Lewisham planning sources you can cross-check:

Further reading
Read the full Lewisham extension guide →

Cost benchmarks, planning timelines and design recommendations specific to Lewisham homeowners.

Last reviewed by Jonathan Blewitt (founder, Mayfair Studio) on 11 April 2026. Approval rate sourced from MHCLG quarterly live tables (YE Dec 2025). Conservation area, Article 4 and listed building counts cross-referenced against planning.data.gov.uk. This page is reviewed quarterly.