Driveway or hard surface in London
Do you need planning permission for a driveway in London? Here is what the permitted development rules say, how City of London Corporation’s designations change them, and what decides an application, grounded in the official guidance and quoted verbatim.
Do you need planning permission for a driveway in London?
Replacing a driveway is permitted development under Class F where the surface is porous, or where rainwater drains to a permeable area within the property rather than to the highway. Whether a driveway needs permission in London still depends on your exact address and the designations on it.
The starting point
Replacing a driveway is permitted development under Class F where the surface is porous, or where rainwater drains to a permeable area within the property rather than to the highway.
“This provides permitted development rights within the curtilage of a house for - (a) the provision of a hard surface for any purpose incidental to the enjoyment of the dwellinghouse as such”PD technical guidance, Class F · full text in the library → · official source →
How London’s designations apply
| Designation in London | Published |
|---|---|
| Conservation areas | 28 |
| Article 4 directions (PD removed) | 0 |
| Listed building outlines | 636 |
A non-permeable surface over five square metres draining to the road needs permission; a dropped kerb for vehicle access is a separate highways consent. Counts are read live from planning.data.gov.uk; your report checks them against your exact address.
What London weighs
A non-permeable surface over five square metres draining to the road needs permission; a dropped kerb for vehicle access is a separate highways consent.
As a London borough, City of London Corporation also decides against the London Plan 2021 (the strategic policy layer for all 33 boroughs), alongside national policy and its own Local Plan.
Get a planning report for your London address
A Planning Policy report reads the designations on your exact London address, quotes the City of London Corporation and national policies that apply to a driveway, and (on Pro) shows decided applications nearby with outcomes.