London Borough of Waltham Forest

Adopted Documents We Assess Against

Development plan: Waltham Forest Local Plan Part 1 (LP1) 2020-2035 (adopted 29 February 2024)

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 Waltham Forest standards at a glance

5 numeric standards taken from London Borough of Waltham Forest'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

Waltham Forest work to a 3 metre rule of thumb. Beyond that they draw a 45-degree line from your neighbour's window - from the edge of it for a single storey extension, from the middle for anything taller. Residential Extensions SPD 5.2.1

Side extension form

at least 1m

Waltham Forest want a side extension set back a metre from the front building line, and a metre gap kept between houses at first floor and above. Residential Extensions SPD 5.1.3 and 5.2.2

Amenity neighbouring

at least 15m²

Waltham Forest want 15 square metres of garden left for every habitable room. Count a kitchen of 13m2 or more as one of them. Waltham Forest householder SPD - garden per habitable room

at least 50m²

Each new house in Waltham Forest needs 50 square metres of private outdoor space. Extending an existing house is judged on the separate per-room standard instead. Waltham Forest Local Plan LP1, Policy 34(C)(i) (provisional citation)

Roof form

up to 1.2

The council states 1.2m as the preferred maximum width for a dormer on a front elevation. Waltham Forest 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

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

Waltham Forest Local Plan Part 1 (LP1) 2020-2035

• Waltham Forest Local Plan Part 1 (design policies) — Design character (provisional citation) Waltham Forest will judge how well your proposal responds to the host building and street under their 2024 Local Plan. Subordinate additions in matching materials are the safest starting point.
• Waltham Forest Local Plan Part 1 (residential amenity policies) — Amenity neighbouring (provisional citation) Waltham Forest will look at the effect on your neighbours' light, outlook and privacy. Show the relationship to their windows on your drawings.
• Waltham Forest Local Plan LP1, Policy 34(C)(i) — Amenity neighbouring (provisional citation) Each new house in Waltham Forest needs 50 square metres of private outdoor space. Extending an existing house is judged on the separate per-room standard instead.

Waltham Forest Residential Extensions and Alterations SPD (2010)

• Residential Extensions SPD 5.2.1 — Rear extension depth Waltham Forest work to a 3 metre rule of thumb. Beyond that they draw a 45-degree line from your neighbour's window - from the edge of it for a single storey extension, from the middle for anything taller.
• Residential Extensions SPD 5.1.3 and 5.2.2 — Side extension form Waltham Forest want a side extension set back a metre from the front building line, and a metre gap kept between houses at first floor and above.
• Residential Extensions SPD 5.1.5 — Amenity neighbouring Waltham Forest ask for 15 square metres of usable garden for every habitable room, and a kitchen of 13 square metres or more counts as one. Add a bedroom and the garden you need goes up with it.
• Waltham Forest householder SPD - garden per habitable room — Amenity neighbouring Waltham Forest want 15 square metres of garden left for every habitable room. Count a kitchen of 13m2 or more as one of them.
• Residential Extensions SPD 5.2.4 — Roof form A Waltham Forest front dormer should be taller than it is wide, ideally no more than 1.2 metres across, and must never break above the ridge.
• Waltham Forest householder SPD — Roof form The council states 1.2m as the preferred maximum width for a dormer on a front elevation.