London Borough of Havering

Adopted Documents We Assess Against

Development plan: Havering Local Plan 2016-2031 (adopted 1 November 2021)

Documents are re-checked against the council's own website weekly. A detected change flags "Policy Update Available" for human review — live assessment standards are never replaced automatically.

London Borough of Havering standards at a glance

5 numeric standards taken from London Borough of Havering's own adopted documents, each shown with the paragraph it comes from. Figures differ between councils — these are this one's.

Rear extension depth

up to 3m

On a Havering terrace the rule of thumb is 3 metres. You can go deeper if the extra depth stays inside a 45-degree line drawn from the 3 metre point on your boundary, which usually means angling or stepping the far corner. Residential Extensions SPD para 5.3

up to 4m

On a Havering semi or detached house the guide is 4 metres, and anything deeper has to stay within a 45-degree line drawn from the 4 metre point on your boundary. Residential Extensions SPD para 5.3

at least 2m

A Havering two-storey rear extension has to be held 2 metres in from the boundary you share with your attached neighbour, and normally project no more than 3 metres. Residential Extensions SPD para 5.13

Side extension form

at least 1m

Set a Havering two-storey side extension back a metre at first floor. They also draw a 45-degree line from the sill of your neighbour's main window - measured from the sill rather than the middle, so it bites sooner than you might expect. Residential Extensions SPD paras 6.6 and 6.8

Roof form

up to 1.2

The council limits a single dormer facing a highway to no greater than 1.2m wide. Havering householder SPD

Standards are what the council normally expects, not a guarantee. A scheme outside them can still be approved on its merits, and one inside them can still be refused for another reason.

Authored Policy Library

8 local policy checks, each citation-locked to the adopted document. National policy (NPPF, national space and daylight standards) applies alongside these.

Havering Local Plan 2016-2031

• Havering Local Plan 2016-2031 (residential design policies) — Design character (provisional citation) Havering will judge how well your extension fits the host house and street. Keeping the addition clearly subordinate to the original dwelling is the safest starting point.
• Havering Local Plan 2016-2031 (residential amenity policies) — Amenity neighbouring (provisional citation) Havering will look at overlooking, privacy and disturbance to your neighbours. Show the relationship to their windows and gardens on your drawings.

Havering Residential Extensions and Alterations SPD (2011)

• Residential Extensions SPD para 5.3 — Rear extension depth (2 checks) On a Havering terrace the rule of thumb is 3 metres. You can go deeper if the extra depth stays inside a 45-degree line drawn from the 3 metre point on your boundary, which usually means angling or stepping the far corner. On a Havering semi or detached house the guide is 4 metres, and anything deeper has to stay within a 45-degree line drawn from the 4 metre point on your boundary.
• Residential Extensions SPD para 5.13 — Rear extension depth A Havering two-storey rear extension has to be held 2 metres in from the boundary you share with your attached neighbour, and normally project no more than 3 metres.
• Residential Extensions SPD paras 6.6 and 6.8 — Side extension form Set a Havering two-storey side extension back a metre at first floor. They also draw a 45-degree line from the sill of your neighbour's main window - measured from the sill rather than the middle, so it bites sooner than you might expect.
• Residential Extensions SPD paras 8.4 and 8.5 — Roof form A Havering dormer facing the street is limited to 1.2 metres wide and should be taller than it is wide. Several dormers together should not add up to more than half the roof width.
• Havering householder SPD — Roof form The council limits a single dormer facing a highway to no greater than 1.2m wide.