How London Planning Works
Two tiers - your borough LPA and the GLA strategic layer
No county council. Greater London has no county council and no district councils. There are 32 London boroughs and the City of London Corporation - each is its own local planning authority. All planning applications go directly to your borough, not to any intermediate tier.
Greater London Authority (GLA)
Strategic planning body - not an LPA for most applications
020 7983 4000
The Mayor of London can call in applications of potential strategic importance (typically over 150 units residential or over 30m tall in certain areas). The London Plan is a statutory development plan that sits above all borough Local Plans - boroughs must apply it alongside their own policies. The Mayor can direct refusal or approval on called-in schemes.
Article 4 Directions - widespread across London
Permitted development rights heavily restricted
Unlike most of England, the majority of London boroughs have extensive Article 4 Directions that remove permitted development rights you would normally have. This includes in many areas: HMO conversions, office-to-residential changes, extensions, loft conversions in conservation areas, and changes to shopfronts. Always check with your borough before assuming any work is permitted development. Conservation areas are particularly common across inner London boroughs.
Office for Place and Development Corporation (OPDC)
Old Oak Common and Park Royal - acts as LPA for that area only
The OPDC acts as the local planning authority for the Old Oak and Park Royal development area - covering parts of Ealing, Hammersmith & Fulham and Brent. If your site falls within this zone, applications go to the OPDC, not your borough. Check the OPDC boundary map if you are near Old Oak Common HS2 station.
All 33 London Local Planning Authorities
32 boroughs + City of London Corporation - search by name
Showing all 33 authorities
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Barking and Dagenham
London Borough
Barnet
London Borough
Bexley
London Borough
Brent
London Borough
Bromley
London Borough
Camden
London Borough
City of London Corporation
Sui Generis - not a London Borough
Croydon
London Borough
Ealing
London Borough
Enfield
London Borough
Greenwich
Royal Borough
Hackney
London Borough
Hammersmith and Fulham
London Borough
Haringey
London Borough
Harrow
London Borough
Havering
London Borough
Hillingdon
London Borough
Hounslow
London Borough
Islington
London Borough
Kensington and Chelsea
Royal Borough
Kingston upon Thames
Royal Borough
Lambeth
London Borough
Lewisham
London Borough
Merton
London Borough
Newham
London Borough
Redbridge
London Borough
Richmond upon Thames
London Borough
Southwark
London Borough
Sutton
London Borough
Tower Hamlets
London Borough
Waltham Forest
London Borough
Wandsworth
London Borough
Westminster
City & London Borough
No boroughs match your search.
Heritage
Historic England London - listed buildings, conservation areas and scheduled monuments
Historic England - London Office
National amenity society and statutory consultee for listed buildings and scheduled monuments
020 7973 3000
London has more listed buildings and conservation areas than anywhere else in England. Listed Building Consent is required for any works affecting the character of a listed building, in addition to any planning permission. Each borough's conservation officer handles local conservation area consents. Historic England's London office handles statutory consultations on Grade I and Grade II* buildings across all 33 authorities.
Environment Agency
Flood risk, Thames tidal zone and environmental permits
Environment Agency - Thames Region
Flood risk management, environmental permitting, Thames tidal flood zone
03708 506 506
Much of central and east London lies within the Thames tidal flood zone. Development in Flood Zones 2 and 3 requires a Sequential Test and Flood Risk Assessment. The Thames Barrier protects central London to a current standard, but tidal flood risk must still be assessed for all major developments. Riverside boroughs - Tower Hamlets, Southwark, Lambeth, Greenwich, Newham and others - frequently require detailed FRAs. Always check the EA flood map before submitting applications in riverside areas.