BOROUGH

Planning permission in Havering

Gidea Park garden suburb to rural Havering-atte-Bower; borough-wide HMO Article 4s.

Conservation areas

Article 4 areas

—

Average house price

£447,701

12-month change

+4.3%

Constraints: planning.data.gov.uk (ingested 2026-08-01) · Prices: HM Land Registry UK House Price Index, December 2025 · 224 sales in December 2025 · Open Government Licence

Planning in Havering — the detail

Havering is an outer-north-east-London borough where suburbia meets the countryside — from Romford and Hornchurch out to the Green Belt villages of Havering-atte-Bower, Cranham, North Ockendon and the Thames-side at Rainham. Its 11 conservation areas include the celebrated Gidea Park (a model garden suburb and 1911 exhibition estate), Havering-atte-Bower, Langtons in Hornchurch, Corbets Tey and the historic Romford and Rainham cores.

Havering controls HMO conversions through two Article 4 directions, in force since 13 July 2016, that between them cover the whole borough: one for the wards of Brooklands, Romford Town, Heaton and Gooshays, and a second for the rest of the borough. Together they remove the permitted development right to convert a house (use class C3) to a small HMO (C4), so an HMO conversion anywhere in Havering needs planning permission.

Outside the conservation areas and the extensive Green Belt, much of Havering's suburban semi-detached stock keeps permitted development rights for rear extensions, side extensions and loft conversions, on generous plots. The address-level check separates a permitted-development project from a full application in a conservation area, and confirms whether Green Belt or the HMO directions apply.

Policy detail lives in the Havering local plan and applications are submitted via the Havering planning portal.

Reviewed by

Savas Bulduk MRICSDirector, Hampstead Chartered Surveyors & Building Consultancy — RICS-regulated (Firm Reg. 923064)

Conservation areas in Havering

Real · planning.data.gov.uk

Every designated conservation area in Havering from the official dataset — inside one, permitted development narrows and design scrutiny rises.

Corbets Tey
Cranham
Gidea Park
Havering-atte-Bower
Langtons, Hornchurch
North Ockendon
RAF Hornchurch
Rainham
Romford
St Andrew's Church, Hornchurch
St Leonard's, Hornchurch

Source: planning.data.gov.uk · Open Government Licence. Boundaries are checked at address level by the area report.

Article 4 directions in Havering

Real · planning.data.gov.uk

No Article 4 geometry for Havering appears in the national planning.data.gov.uk dataset, but the borough controls HMO conversions through two Article 4 directions in force since 13 July 2016 that together cover the whole borough (one for Brooklands, Romford Town, Heaton and Gooshays; a second for the rest), removing the right to convert a house to a small HMO. Much of the borough is Green Belt. Check the council's Article 4 pages for the position at a specific address.

Source: planning.data.gov.uk · Open Government Licence. Checked at address level by the area report.

Havering has no Article 4 geometry in the national dataset — see how that compares to the 14 boroughs that do. See the full London Article 4 Coverage Index →

Havering's householder grant rate: 82.8% of householder applications decided were granted (844 of 1,019) over 2025 Q2 to 2026 Q1 — rank 13 of 33 for lowest grant rate. London average: 85.6%. See the full householder approval-rate league table →

FIGURES

Key Havering planning figures

Conservation areas	11
Article 4 directions	—
Householder applications granted	82.8% (844 of 1,019)
London average grant rate	85.6%
Rank for lowest grant rate	13 of 33
Average house price	£447,701
Annual price change	+4.3%

Conservation areas and Article 4 directions: planning.data.gov.uk, ingested 2026-08-01 · Householder approval rates: MHCLG district planning application statistics (PS2), 2025 Q2 to 2026 Q1 · House prices: HM Land Registry UK House Price Index, December 2025 · Open Government Licence. Figures are as published on those dates; a designation missing from the national dataset is a gap in the dataset, not proof it does not exist.

PROJECTS

What gets built in Havering

Rear extension

Hornchurch, Upminster and Romford semis extend under PD; Gidea Park, the village conservation areas and Green Belt need a full application.

Rear extension in Havering →

Side return extension

Workable on the Romford and Hornchurch terraces; Gidea Park and the conservation areas need a full application.

Side return extension in Havering →

Loft conversion

Routine on the Hornchurch and Upminster semis under PD; Gidea Park and the conservation areas scrutinise dormers.

Loft conversion in Havering →

Basement extension

Uncommon on the borough's suburban plots; a full application with structural and ground-condition evidence is expected, with Green Belt limits on the rural edge.

Basement extension in Havering →

Garden room

Large suburban and Green Belt-edge gardens suit garden rooms under PD; Gidea Park, the conservation areas and Green Belt are where outbuilding rights tighten.

Garden room in Havering →

DISTRICTS

Havering postcode by postcode

RM1 — Romford

RM1 is Romford — the historic market-town core and conservation area at the borough's centre. Much of the surrounding stock keeps …

RM1 planning report →

RM2 — Gidea Park

RM2 is Gidea Park — a celebrated model garden suburb and 1911 exhibition estate, protected as a conservation area with close desig…

RM2 planning report →

RM11 — Hornchurch & Emerson Park

RM11 covers Hornchurch and the leafy Emerson Park — the Langtons and St Andrew's Church conservation areas among them. Generous su…

RM11 planning report →

RM14 — Upminster & Cranham

RM14 is Upminster and Cranham on the rural edge — the Cranham conservation area and North Ockendon, with Green Belt beyond. Much o…

RM14 planning report →

RM13 — Rainham & South Hornchurch

RM13 covers Rainham and South Hornchurch — the Rainham conservation area around Rainham Hall, near the Thames-side marshes. Much o…

RM13 planning report →

RM3 — Harold Hill & Harold Wood

RM3 covers Harold Hill and Harold Wood in Havering — mid-century and suburban stock on larger plots. Outside conservation areas an…

RM3 planning report →

RM5 — Collier Row & Chase Cross

RM5 is Collier Row and Chase Cross, spanning Havering with a Barking and Dagenham edge. Suburban semis support householder project…

RM5 planning report →

RM7 — Romford west & Rush Green

RM7 covers western Romford and Rush Green in Havering (with a Barking and Dagenham edge). Mixed suburban and denser streets: outsi…

RM7 planning report →

RM12 — Hornchurch & Elm Park

RM12 is Hornchurch and Elm Park — interwar Havering stock with deep rear gardens. Outside conservation areas such as Langtons, per…

RM12 planning report →

FAQ

Havering planning, asked straight

Do I need planning permission to create an HMO in Havering?

Yes. Two Article 4 directions in force since 13 July 2016 together cover the whole borough — one for the wards of Brooklands, Romford Town, Heaton and Gooshays, and a second for the rest — removing the permitted development right to convert a house (use class C3) into a small HMO (C4), so an HMO conversion needs planning permission anywhere in Havering.

Is my Havering home in a conservation area?

It may be — Havering has 11 conservation areas, including the Gidea Park garden suburb, Havering-atte-Bower, Langtons in Hornchurch and Corbets Tey. Inside one, permitted development narrows and design scrutiny rises. Enter your postcode to see the named designation, cited to source.

Is my Havering property in the Green Belt?

It may well be — much of Havering, towards Havering-atte-Bower, Cranham, North Ockendon and Rainham, is Green Belt, where extensions are limited to avoid disproportionate additions over the original dwelling and new building is tightly restricted. The address check and the council's policies map confirm the designation.

Do I need planning permission for a rear extension or loft in Havering?

Outside the conservation areas and Green Belt, much of Havering's suburban semi-detached stock keeps permitted development rights — a single-storey rear extension within the limits, or a rear-dormer loft within the volume limits, can often proceed under PD or prior approval. Inside a conservation area a full application is needed. Check the address first.

How do I check constraints for a Havering address?

Run the postcode through the Planning Permission Checker area report: it checks your coordinates against the official conservation-area geometry and shows sold-price comparables, each cited to source. Because Havering's Article 4 directions aren't in the national dataset, confirm the HMO directions against the council's pages.

READ

What applies at your address?

Borough-level rules only narrow it down. Enter a Havering postcode for the live constraint check — conservation area, Article 4 and sold-price comparables, cited to source.

Check a Havering address

Need it in writing for one address? A planning permission report for a Havering property — from £59, or surveyor-reviewed from £295.

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.