Wandsworth Borough Council

Adopted Documents We Assess Against

Development plan: Wandsworth Local Plan

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.

Wandsworth Borough Council standards at a glance

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

Front extension

at least 50%

The council requires at least 50% of the original front garden depth to remain where a lightwell is proposed. Local Plan Policy DMH5(viii)

at least 2

The council usually requires a minimum 2m of front garden to be retained in a conservation area. Local Plan Policy DMH5(viii)

Design character

up to 50%

A Wandsworth basement can go under no more than half the garden. Housing SPD paragraph 4.5

at least 1m

Wandsworth expect about a metre of soil back on top of a basement under the garden so planting still works. Housing SPD paragraph 4.6

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.

Housing Supplementary Planning Document

• Housing SPD Policy DMH5(vii), paragraph 4.21 — Rear extension depth Wandsworth does not publish a fixed rear extension depth figure - instead your proposal is judged on whether it stays subservient to the house and leaves a substantial, genuinely usable rear garden. Two-storey rear extensions get extra scrutiny for their effect on a neighbour's light, especially if that neighbour is on the north side.
• Housing SPD Policy DMH5(iii), paragraphs 4.17-4.20 — Side extension form Wandsworth is particularly protective of the gaps between semi-detached and detached houses - a two-storey side extension that fills that gap risks reading as "terracing" and can be resisted, especially on corner plots.
• Housing SPD Policy DMH5(viii) — Front extension If you're putting a lightwell in the front garden for a basement in Wandsworth, keep at least half the original front garden depth clear (and at least 2 metres in a conservation area).
• Local Plan Policy DMH5(viii) — Front extension (2 checks) The council requires at least 50% of the original front garden depth to remain where a lightwell is proposed. The council usually requires a minimum 2m of front garden to be retained in a conservation area.
• Housing SPD paragraphs 4.22-4.23 — Amenity neighbouring Wandsworth set no numbers of their own here - they judge it against the BRE daylight guidelines. Keep bulk on a shared boundary to a minimum, and avoid putting a two-storey extension right on the line.
• Housing SPD paragraphs 4.26-4.27 — Outbuilding form Outbuildings, garages and bin/bike stores in Wandsworth should stay out of view from the street where possible, be modestly sized, and match the house in materials.
• Housing SPD paragraph 4.5 — Design character A Wandsworth basement can go under no more than half the garden.
• Housing SPD paragraph 4.6 — Design character Wandsworth expect about a metre of soil back on top of a basement under the garden so planting still works.