IG7 · Chigwell & Hainault
IG7 straddles the London boundary: Hainault, Fairlop and Grange Hill sit in Redbridge, while Chigwell and Lambourne lie in Essex under Epping Forest District — a different council with a different local plan, so the address decides which rules apply. On the London side the stock is post-war and interwar estate housing and semis on generous plots; the Chigwell side is larger detached housing against Green Belt and the Hainault Forest edge. Outside conservation areas rear extensions and lofts often run on permitted development, but Redbridge's borough-wide HMO direction still catches shared-occupation conversions.
Location data: postcodes.io · Constraints: planning.data.gov.uk (borough-level) · Open Government Licence
Constraint context · Redbridge
Real · planning.data.gov.ukRedbridge has 19 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 IG7 crosses 2 boroughs. Enter a full postcode below for the point-level check, or read the full borough picture on the Redbridge planning guide.
Is IG7 in a conservation area?
No conservation-area geometry from the official dataset falls within 1km of the centre of IG7. 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 IG7?
The national dataset holds no Article 4 geometry within 1km of the centre of IG7. 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 Redbridge before assuming a permitted-development right still exists.
Every designation in the borough: Redbridge planning guide →
Do you need planning permission in IG7?
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 IG7, 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 IG7?
| 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 Redbridge — 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 Redbridge
Ilford and Gants Hill semis extend under PD; the Wanstead, Snaresbrook and Woodford Green conservation areas need a full application.
Rear extension in Redbridge →Common on the Ilford and South Woodford terraces; the Wanstead and Snaresbrook conservation areas need a full application.
Side return extension in Redbridge →Common on the Ilford and Woodford semis under PD; the Wanstead and Snaresbrook conservation areas decide dormer form.
Loft conversion in Redbridge →Uncommon outside the higher-value Wanstead and Woodford streets; a full application with structural and ground-condition evidence is expected.
Basement extension in Redbridge →Generous gardens in Woodford and Gants Hill suit garden rooms under PD; the Wanstead and Snaresbrook conservation areas can remove outbuilding rights.
Garden room in Redbridge →Pinpoint your street
More of Redbridge
Wanstead and Snaresbrook heritage to Ilford's suburbs; a borough-wide HMO Article 4 since 2019.
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.