SE16 · Rotherhithe & Surrey Quays
SE16 covers the St Marys and Edward III's Rotherhithe conservation areas, the Surrey Quays redevelopment and the Wilson Grove cottages. Tenure near the docks is flat-heavy — flats carry no permitted development rights — so confirming tenure and any lease (licence to alter) is the first step.
Location data: postcodes.io · Constraints: planning.data.gov.uk (borough-level) · Open Government Licence
Constraint context · Southwark
Real · planning.data.gov.ukSouthwark has 55 designated conservation areas and 371 Article 4 areas. A district is too coarse to say which apply to your house — postcode districts span many streets and SE16 crosses 2 boroughs. Enter a full postcode below for the point-level check, or read the full borough picture on the Southwark planning guide.
Is SE16 in a conservation area?
Partly — and which part matters. A postcode district is never uniformly designated: SE16 contains 5 conservation areas within 1km of its centre, and whether your own property sits inside one decides whether permitted development survives. The centre point of SE16 itself does not fall inside one — but many of its streets will.
| Edward III's Rotherhithe | Nearby |
| St Marys Rotherhithe | Nearby |
| Wapping Pierhead | Nearby |
| Wapping Wall | Nearby |
| Wilson Grove | Nearby |
Conservation areas whose official geometry lies within 1km of the centre of SE16. Source: planning.data.gov.uk · Open Government Licence. Proximity to the district centre is not a statement about your own address — run the address check for that.
Does an Article 4 direction apply in SE16?
Yes — SE16 has 45 Article 4 directions mapped within 1km of its centre. An Article 4 direction withdraws specific permitted-development rights on the streets it covers, which is the most common reason a project that looks like permitted development turns out to need a full application. The centre point of SE16 does not fall inside one, but coverage is street-level — verify your own address.
| Albion Public House | Nearby |
| ANCIENT FORESTERS | Nearby |
| Canada Water Major Town Centre | Nearby |
| CHINA HALL | Nearby |
| FARRIERS ARMS | Nearby |
| Little Crown | Nearby |
| MOBY DICK | Nearby |
| Protected shopping frontage SF17: Jamaica Road | Nearby |
| Protected shopping frontage SF18: Jamaica Road | Nearby |
| Protected shopping frontage SF19: Albion Street | Nearby |
| Protected shopping frontage SF22: Lower Road and Plough Way | Nearby |
| Protected shopping frontage SF25: Ilderton Road | Nearby |
| Protected shopping frontage SF5: The Blue | Nearby |
| Railway Arches | Nearby |
| Site allocation NSP13: Biscuit Factory and Campus | Nearby |
| Site allocation NSP15: Chambers Wharf | Nearby |
| Site allocation NSP70: Hatcham Road, Penarth Street and Ilderton Road | Nearby |
| Site allocation NSP78: Rotherhite Gasometer | Nearby |
| Site allocation NSP79: St Olav's Business Park, Lower Road | Nearby |
| Site allocation NSP80: Decathlon Site and Mulberry Business Park | Nearby |
| Site allocation NSP81: Harmsworth Quays, Surrey Quays Leisure Park, Surrey Quays Shopping Centre and | Nearby |
| Site allocation NSP81: Harmsworth Quays, Surrey Quays Leisure Park, Surrey Quays Shopping Centre and Robert’s Close | Nearby |
| Site allocation NSP82: Croft Street Depot | Nearby |
| Small HMO Northern Extension | Nearby |
| SPIL1: Discovery Business Park | Nearby |
| SPIL2: Galleywall and Bermondsey Trading Estates, Bermondsey railway arches and Rotherhithe Business | Nearby |
| SPIL2: Galleywall and Bermondsey Trading Estates, Bermondsey railway arches and Rotherhithe Business Estate | Nearby |
| SPIL3: Admiral Hyson Trading Estate | Nearby |
| St James of Bermondsey | Nearby |
| STANLEY ARMS PUBLIC HOUSE | Nearby |
| Surrey Canal Triangle MEL | Nearby |
| SURREY DOCKS | Nearby |
| The Angel at Rotherhithe | Nearby |
| THE BLUE ANCHOR P H | Nearby |
| The Blue Local Town Centre | Nearby |
| The Brunel | Nearby |
| The Caulkers (Yellow House) | Nearby |
| The Gregorian | Nearby |
| THE MAYFLOWER | Nearby |
| The Salt Quay | Nearby |
| The Ship | Nearby |
| The Winnicott (formerly Old Justice) | Nearby |
| Wapping Lane 1 | Nearby |
| Wapping Lane 2 | Nearby |
| WHELAN'S FREE HOUSE | Nearby |
Article 4 directions whose official geometry lies within 1km of the centre of SE16. Source: planning.data.gov.uk · Open Government Licence. The national dataset omits some property-specific directions — the council register is always definitive.
Every designation in the borough: Southwark planning guide →
Do you need planning permission in SE16?
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 |
SE16 contains mapped conservation-area or Article 4 geometry, so a meaningful share of its streets will have lost some permitted-development rights — which pushes those properties onto the full-application route. Whether yours is one of them is an address-level question, not a district-level one.
What does planning permission cost in SE16?
| 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 Southwark — 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 Southwark
Camberwell, Peckham and Dulwich terraces extend constantly; outside the conservation areas PD or prior approval often carries it.
Rear extension in Southwark →The Camberwell and Peckham terraces are classic side-return stock; match the consented depth on your run.
Side return extension in Southwark →Rear-dormer lofts are common on the Camberwell and Dulwich terraces; protected rooflines are the refusal zone.
Loft conversion in Southwark →Controlled through conservation-area and listed-building policy; ground and water conditions drive the cost.
Basement extension in Southwark →Garden offices are popular on the Dulwich and Camberwell terraces; respect the 2.5m boundary-height and 50% coverage rules.
Garden room in Southwark →Pinpoint your street
More of Southwark
Listed riverside to Victorian terrace inland; an unusually pub-heavy Article 4 regime.
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.