Skip to content
Magna Studio
Menu

Service area · London Borough of Brent

Architectural Designers in Brent

Magna Studio prepares planning and Building Regulations drawings for homeowners across Brent. In the south of the borough that means side-return and rear extensions and rear dormers on the Edwardian terraces of Willesden Green, Kensal Rise and Kilburn; in the north it means side extensions and hip-to-gable lofts on the 1930s semis of Kingsbury, Kenton, Sudbury and Wembley.

Get an instant estimatePlanning constraints

Indicative fee in two minutes. Written fixed-fee quote within 24 hours.

Planning authority
Brent
Decision time
8 weeks statutory
Common work
Rear extension
Quote
Within 24 hours
01Local context

Typical homes we work on in Brent

  • Edwardian terraces and semis in Willesden Green, Kensal Rise, Mapesbury and Queen's Park
  • Victorian terraces and mansion blocks in Kilburn and Harlesden
  • 1930s semi-detached houses in Kingsbury, Kenton, Sudbury, Wembley Park and Dollis Hill
  • Post-war estates including South Kilburn, Stonebridge and Chalkhill (largely redeveloped)
  • High-rise new-build flats around Wembley Stadium and Alperton
02Planning permission

Do I need planning permission in Brent?

Answer-first guides for the projects we see most here, with the national rules and the local constraints that change them.

03Constraints

Planning constraints in Brent

What changes the planning route in this area. Always confirm on the council's constraints map before relying on permitted development.

Conservation areas and Article 4 directions

Brent has numerous conservation areas, including Mapesbury, Queen's Park, Kensal Rise, Willesden Green, Mount Stewart and Sudbury Court. Several have Article 4 directions removing permitted development for front alterations, front boundary walls and sometimes roof works. Check the council's conservation area pages and constraints map for your street.

Source · Checked 15 Sept 2026

Brent Design Guide (SPD1)

Brent's Design Guide SPD sets detailed expectations for extensions and roof alterations, including rear extension depths, the 45-degree test and dormer proportions. Officers apply it closely, so we design to it from the first sketch.

Source · Checked 15 Sept 2026

Flood risk – River Brent and Wealdstone Brook

Parts of Alperton, Stonebridge, Wembley and Neasden along the River Brent, the Grand Union Canal and the Wealdstone Brook sit in Flood Zones 2 and 3 or carry surface-water risk. Ground-floor extensions here may need a flood risk statement.

Source · Checked 15 Sept 2026

Metropolitan Open Land and Fryent Country Park

Fryent Country Park, the Welsh Harp (Brent Reservoir) edges and Barham Park are Metropolitan Open Land or protected open space. Plots backing onto them face closer scrutiny for outbuildings and large extensions.

Source · Checked 15 Sept 2026

HMO and Class MA Article 4 directions

Brent may have Article 4 directions restricting changes to houses in multiple occupation and, in some town centres, commercial-to-residential conversions under Class MA. We are not certain of the current extent, so confirm with the council before relying on prior approval.

Source · Checked 15 Sept 2026

What London Borough of Brent planning officers look for

Brent officers lean heavily on the Design Guide SPD. Common refusal reasons are rear extensions deeper than the neighbour's that fail the 45-degree test, two-storey side extensions without a set-back that create a terracing effect, and roof extensions in conservation areas or oversized dormers that wrap the hip. Rear dormers outside conservation areas are generally accepted if they sit below the ridge and inside the roof slope. Brent offers a paid pre-application service and decision times often run past the statutory 8 weeks, so allow 10–14 weeks.

Council links

Extensions and loft conversions in Brent

Brent splits neatly in two. South of the North Circular, Willesden Green, Kensal Rise, Mapesbury, Queen’s Park and Kilburn are Edwardian and Victorian terraces with side returns and steep roofs: perfect for side-return infills, L-shaped rear extensions and rear dormers that add a bedroom and bathroom. North of it, Kingsbury, Kenton, Sudbury, Wembley Park and Dollis Hill are 1930s semis on wider plots, where a two-storey side extension, a hip-to-gable loft and a 4–6 m rear extension can transform a three-bedroom house into a five-bedroom one.

Flats above shops in Harlesden and Kilburn and the newer towers around Wembley have no householder permitted development (PD) rights, so those projects always go through a planning application.

Planning constraints in Brent

  • Conservation areas such as Mapesbury, Queen’s Park, Kensal Rise and Sudbury Court remove PD for roof extensions and often carry Article 4 directions for front alterations.
  • Brent Design Guide (SPD1) governs extension depths, dormer sizes and the 45-degree test.
  • Flood risk along the River Brent, the canal and the Wealdstone Brook in Alperton, Stonebridge and Neasden.
  • Metropolitan Open Land at Fryent Country Park and the Welsh Harp.
  • HMO and Class MA Article 4 directions may apply in parts of the borough; check with the council before relying on prior approval.

What Brent planning officers look for

Officers assess householder applications against the Brent Local Plan 2019–2041 and the Design Guide SPD. Expect them to test the depth of a rear extension against the neighbour’s nearest window, the set-back of two-storey side extensions from the front wall, the position of dormers within the roof slope and the match of brick, tile and window proportions. Loss of daylight and outlook to a neighbour’s rear room is the most frequent refusal reason. Brent offers a paid pre-application service, which we recommend in conservation areas. Council fees from April 2025 are £528 for a householder application and £264 for a proposed-use LDC; verify before applying.

Our services in Brent

Example projects nearby

Guides

Read Conservation areas: extensions and lofts and Permitted development rights in London.

Ready to start in Brent? Get an instant estimate: your indicative fee on screen and by email in two minutes, then a written fixed-fee quote within 24 hours.

04Examples

Example projects in and around Brent

Proposed ground floor plan of a two-storey rear extension and side infill to a 1930s semi in EalingExample project
Two-storey extensionNorthfields, Ealing

Two-Storey Extension in Northfields, Ealing

Two-storey rear extension with a single-storey side infill to a 1930s semi-detached house, adding a kitchen-dining room, a fourth bedroom and a family bathroom.

Typical route: Householder planning application for both storeys in one submission

Proposed ground floor plan of a wraparound side-return and rear extension to a Victorian terrace in Kentish TownExample project
Wraparound extensionKentish Town, Camden

Wraparound Extension in Kentish Town, Camden

Side-return infill and 3 m rear extension forming a wraparound kitchen-dining room on a Victorian terrace in a Kentish Town conservation area, with steelwork bearing on both party walls.

Typical route: Pre-application advice, then a householder planning application

Proposed ground floor plan of a side extension and garage conversion to a 1930s semi in Finchley, BarnetExample project
Side extensionFinchley, Barnet

Side Extension and Garage Conversion in Finchley, Barnet

Conversion of an attached garage and a single-storey side extension behind it to a 1930s semi-detached house, widening the kitchen and adding a utility room and WC.

Typical route: Householder planning application, as the width exceeds the PD limit

05Questions

Planning questions we hear in Brent

Do I need planning permission for a rear extension in Brent?

Not always. Outside conservation areas, a single-storey rear extension up to 3 m on a terrace or semi is usually permitted development, or up to 6 m via the prior approval route (42 days). In Mapesbury, Queen's Park and other conservation areas the rules tighten and a planning application is often the safer route.

Are there Article 4 directions in Brent?

Yes. Several of Brent's conservation areas have Article 4 directions that remove permitted development for front-facing alterations, boundary walls and in some cases roof works. The exact restrictions vary by area, so we check the council's constraints map before advising on a PD route.

Can I convert my loft under permitted development in Brent?

On a 1930s semi in Kingsbury, Kenton or Sudbury outside a conservation area, usually yes: a hip-to-gable and rear dormer within 50 m³ is typically lawful. On an Edwardian terrace in Kensal Rise or Mapesbury it depends on the conservation area and any Article 4 direction. We recommend a Lawful Development Certificate.

How long does Brent council take to decide a householder application?

The statutory target is 8 weeks from validation for planning applications and Lawful Development Certificates. Brent frequently asks for an extension of time, so we advise allowing 10–14 weeks and submitting complete, clearly dimensioned drawings to avoid validation delays.

06Coverage

Everywhere we work

One team, one process, every area. Choose yours.

Central

North

East

South

West

Next step

Planning a project in Brent?

Answer six questions and your indicative fee for Brent arrives on screen and by email in two minutes, with a written fixed-fee quote within 24 hours.

Get a quote for Brent

or call +44 20 3400 9917 · WhatsApp us