CR5 · Coulsdon & Old Coulsdon
CR5 covers Coulsdon and Old Coulsdon on the downland edge, where Green Belt and countryside meet the suburbs. Much of the interwar stock keeps permitted development rights for rear and loft projects; Green Belt and conservation designation are the constraints to check at address level.
Location data: postcodes.io · Constraints: planning.data.gov.uk (borough-level) · Open Government Licence
Constraint context · Croydon
Real · planning.data.gov.ukCroydon has 22 designated conservation areas and 0 Article 4 areas. A district is too coarse to say which apply to your house — postcode districts span many streets and CR5 crosses 3 boroughs. Enter a full postcode below for the point-level check, or read the full borough picture on the Croydon planning guide.
Is CR5 in a conservation area?
No conservation-area geometry from the official dataset falls within 1km of the centre of CR5. That is not a guarantee for your own address — designations are drawn street by street, and the national dataset's coverage varies by borough. Check the exact address before you rely on permitted development.
Does an Article 4 direction apply in CR5?
The national dataset holds no Article 4 geometry within 1km of the centre of CR5. Treat that as unknown, not as “none”. The national dataset is known to omit property-specific directions, so the only safe answer is to verify on the council's own register for Croydon before assuming a permitted-development right still exists.
Every designation in the borough: Croydon planning guide →
Do you need planning permission in CR5?
Three routes exist, and which one you are on is decided by your address, not your postcode district:
| Permitted development — no application. The work stays inside the GPDO limits and no designation removes them. A Lawful Development Certificate is cheap proof for a future buyer. | No permission |
| Prior approval — the larger single-storey rear extension route, with neighbour consultation. Not available on designated land. | 42 days |
| Full householder application — required once a designation removes your permitted-development right, or the scheme exceeds the limits. | 8 weeks |
No conservation-area or Article 4 geometry from the national dataset falls near the centre of CR5, which makes the permitted-development route more likely here than in designated parts of London — but the dataset omits some property-specific directions, so confirm at your own address before relying on it.
What does planning permission cost in CR5?
| Householder planning application | £548 (from 1 April 2026) |
| Lawful Development Certificate — proposed works | £274 (half the application fee) |
| Lawful Development Certificate — existing works | £548 (the full application fee) |
| Listed building consent | No fee |
| Resubmission after a refusal | Free once, within 12 months of the decision |
National statutory figures for England — councils do not set them, so they are the same in every borough. Planning fees re-index every 1 April; confirm the current amount on the Planning Portal fee calculator before you apply. These are the council's fees only — drawings, surveys and any specialist reports are separate.
How long does it take?
| Householder application — statutory target | 8 weeks |
| Householder application — in practice | 8–12 weeks |
| Prior approval (larger home extension) | 42 days |
| Lawful Development Certificate | 8 weeks |
| Householder appeal — deadline to lodge | 12 weeks from the decision date |
| Householder appeal — typical decision | Around 18 weeks |
What if it's refused?
A refusal is a decision notice with reasons attached, and those reasons are a roadmap. Most homeowners in Croydon — as anywhere in England — are better served by amending the scheme and using the free resubmission than by appealing: you get one further application on the same site within 12 months without paying again.
| Who can appeal | The applicant only — not neighbours |
| Fee to appeal | None — you bear your own costs |
| Procedure | Written representations for most householder appeals |
| Success rate | Roughly a third — about 36% of householder appeals allowed in 2025/26 |
Appeals go to the Planning Inspectorate, an independent national body. How to read a refusal and choose your route →
Planning permission by project in Croydon
Suburban Croydon stock extends under PD; the Waldrons, Webb Estate and other Article 4 conservation areas need a full application.
Rear extension in Croydon →Common on the terraces of Croydon, Addiscombe and South Norwood; the Article 4 conservation areas need a full application.
Side return extension in Croydon →Common across suburban Croydon under PD; the Article 4 conservation areas (the Waldrons, the Webb Estate) decide dormer form via a full application.
Loft conversion in Croydon →Uncommon outside the higher-value south; a full application with structural and ground-condition evidence is expected, with conservation-area scrutiny on top.
Basement extension in Croydon →Generous gardens in suburban Croydon suit garden rooms under PD; the Article 4 conservation areas can remove outbuilding rights — verify the direction.
Garden room in Croydon →Pinpoint your street
More of Croydon
Tower-block town centre to the Webb Estate; targeted conservation-area Article 4s.
Borough page →Planning Permission Checker provides planning and cost intelligence for early feasibility only. It is not legal, planning, valuation, architectural, structural, or surveying advice. All estimates are indicative and must be verified by qualified professionals before purchase, design, planning submission, or construction.
Cost estimates are indicative only — not a quotation. Final price depends on survey, specification, structure, access, party wall matters, VAT, professional fees, and contractor availability.
Planning outcomes are not guaranteed. Local planning authorities make final decisions.