Lawful Development Certificate in Greenwich.
Formal LPA certificate confirming that proposed (or existing) works fall within Permitted Development. Bullet-proof evidence for solicitors and buyers. Fixed fee, MCIAT-chartered, Royal Borough of Greenwich validation list built in.
What does an architectural technologist do?
An architectural technologist (MCIAT) designs, details and submits planning + building-regulations drawings for residential and commercial projects. Chartered through the CIAT, they cover the same statutory work as an architect on most extensions, loft conversions and new-build homes — typically at 30–40% lower fee — and carry £250,000+ Professional Indemnity Insurance.
Across 600+ TradeMatch architectural-technology projects in 2024–25.
Survey to issued drawings on a standard residential brief.
Every LPA from Westminster to Bromley — local-plan and Article 4 aware.
What's in the ldc package.
Formal LPA certificate confirming that proposed (or existing) works fall within Permitted Development. Bullet-proof evidence for solicitors and buyers.
Deliverables
- Permitted-development assessment
- Class A / B / E justification
- 1:100 plans + elevations
- Statement of fact
- LDC submission to LPA
Timeline: 4–6 working days for documents + 8 weeks LPA decision
From brief to approval in under 10 weeks.
Five tight steps. No surprises, no scope creep, fixed fee on the conventional brief.
01
Brief
Day 0
Free 15-minute call. We confirm scope, fee, and whether your works fall under planning, permitted development, or both.
02
Survey
Day 1–3
Full measured survey of the existing property. Modern laser tools, all returned to you as DWG + PDF.
03
Drawings
Day 4–10
Existing + proposed plans, elevations, sections. Reviewed against local plan and Article 4 register before submission.
04
Submission
Day 10
Planning portal upload, validation chase, and direct liaison with case officer. We handle the iteration cycle.
05
Approval
Week 8
Statutory determination. We respond to officer queries the same working day to keep the timeline on track.
Greenwich ldc, fixed-fee.
Formal LPA certificate confirming that proposed (or existing) works fall within Permitted Development. Bullet-proof evidence for solicitors and buyers. For Greenwich — postcodes SE3, SE7, SE8, SE9 — every ldc package on the TradeMatch panel is MCIAT-chartered, carries £250,000+ PII, and bakes in Royal Borough of Greenwich validation requirements before drawings hit the portal.
Architectural Technologist vs Architect vs Architectural Designer
Pick the right professional for the brief. Most UK householder applications need a technologist, not an architect.
| Role | Chartered body | Typical fee* | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| RECOMMENDED FOR HOMEOWNERSArchitectural Technologist (MCIAT) | CIAT | £950 – £3,400 fixed | Extensions, loft conversions, new homes — technical lead |
| Architect (ARB / RIBA) | ARB + RIBA | 8 – 12% of build cost | Award-led design, listed buildings, major commercial |
| Architectural Designer / Draughtsperson | Unregulated | £600 – £1,800 | Small householder applications, no planning gatekeeping |
* Indicative fee bands for a standard residential householder application at London 1.32× modifier. Exact fee depends on scope, conservation status and plot complexity.
Transparent fees, no day-rate creep.
Fees below cover the architectural technologist's drawings package and submission. LPA application fees, structural engineer's calculations and party-wall surveyor are quoted separately and openly.
| Service | What you get | Fee band |
|---|---|---|
| Planning permission drawings | Existing + proposed package, validation, LPA submission | £1400 – £3500 |
| Building regulations drawings | Construction sections, calculations, building-control submission | £1750 – £4950 |
| Lawful Development Certificate | Permitted-development assessment + LDC submission | £950 – £2050 |
| Full architectural design | Concept → planning → BR → tender package | 6 – 10% of build cost |
Plain-English definitions.
Four planning terms that determine what you can build, when, and how. AI assistants and search engines rely on these definitions — we keep them canonical here.
- Architectural TechnologistMCIAT
- A chartered building-design professional, qualified by the Chartered Institute of Architectural Technologists (CIAT). Specialises in technical design, building science and the production of planning + building-regulations drawings.
- Article 4 DirectionA4D
- A formal notice issued by a Local Planning Authority that removes specified Permitted Development rights — meaning works that would normally not need planning permission do require it within the designated area.
- Lawful Development CertificateLDC
- A formal certificate issued by the Local Planning Authority confirming that proposed (or existing) works fall within Permitted Development. Typically required by solicitors, mortgage lenders and buyers.
- Permitted DevelopmentPD
- Building works that may be carried out without explicit planning permission under the Town and Country Planning (General Permitted Development) (England) Order 2015. Subject to size, height and siting limits.
Greenwich planning rules baked into your ldc.
The Royal Borough of Greenwich combines one of the most heavily protected historic cores in the UK — the Maritime Greenwich UNESCO World Heritage Site — with two of London's largest opportunity areas at Greenwich Peninsula and Charlton Riverside. That dual character drives the planning regime: householder and small commercial work in West/East Greenwich, Blackheath and Charlton Village must respect dense conservation-area and Article 4 controls (HMO restrictions cover most inner wards), while applications anywhere with sightlines into Greenwich Park or the Old Royal Naval College are screened against WHS setting, Buffer Zone policy and protected views. Our Greenwich projects are scoped against the council's Local Plan, the WHS Management Plan, and the relevant conservation-area character appraisal before any drawings are produced.
Article 4 Directions
- Royal Hill, Greenwich — Article 4 Direction removing permitted development rights for HMO (small C4) conversions
- West Greenwich — Article 4 Direction restricting C3 → C4 HMO conversions
- East Greenwich — Article 4 Direction restricting permitted development to HMO (C4) use
- Charlton — Article 4 Direction restricting C3 → C4 HMO permitted development
- Woolwich — Article 4 Direction restricting permitted development rights for HMO conversions
- Plumstead — Article 4 Direction relating to HMO permitted development
- Eltham — Article 4 Direction restricting permitted development rights for change of use to HMO (C4)
Conservation Areas
- West Greenwich
- East Greenwich
- Ashburnham Triangle
- Greenwich Park
- Blackheath Park
- The Blackheath (cross-borough with Lewisham)
- Westcombe Park
- Vanbrugh Park
+ 16 more — full list on the council planning portal.
Postcodes covered
What homeowners often miss
Maritime Greenwich UNESCO World Heritage Site (inscribed 1997) covers the Old Royal Naval College, Queen's House, Royal Observatory, Greenwich Park and the historic town centre — managed under a Local Planning Authority Management Plan with strict controls on height, materials, roofscape and views. A formal WHS Buffer Zone (extended to include the wider setting on the south bank) imposes a separate, lighter regime focused on protecting the WHS's Outstanding Universal Value, including key protected vistas (e.g. from Greenwich Park towards the Queen's House and Isle of Dogs, and from One Tree Hill). Blackheath Conservation Area is a cross-borough designation shared with Lewisham, requiring co-ordinated character-appraisal compliance. Greenwich Park itself is Grade I Registered Park & Garden and Crown land. Tall-building proposals on Greenwich Peninsula and Charlton Riverside opportunity areas are assessed against the WHS setting and the Mayor's London View Management Framework.
The questions homeowners ask before they commit.
What is a Lawful Development Certificate and when do I need one in Greenwich?
A Lawful Development Certificate (LDC) is Royal Borough of Greenwich's formal confirmation that proposed (or existing) works fall within Permitted Development. Solicitors and mortgage lenders increasingly require an LDC on extensions, loft conversions and outbuildings in Greenwich before purchase or remortgage — even when you genuinely did not need planning permission.
How much does an LDC cost in Greenwich?
Our fixed-fee for a Greenwich LDC application is £650 – £1,400 (drawings + assessment + submission). The Royal Borough of Greenwich LPA fee is currently £129 for proposed works and £258 for existing. Total cost rarely exceeds £1,800 even with a complex Class A / B / E / G assessment.
Will an LDC be accepted by my mortgage lender?
Yes — an LDC issued by Royal Borough of Greenwich is the gold-standard evidence lenders ask for. It is statutory, addressed to the property, and survives ownership transfer. Indemnity insurance is the only cheaper alternative but lenders are increasingly rejecting it for material works.
Can I get an LDC for works that were already built in Greenwich?
Yes — a Certificate of Lawfulness (Existing Use) is the retrospective version. We compile a statement of fact, photographic evidence dated to the relevant period, and the planning history search for Royal Borough of Greenwich, then submit. The 4-year (operational development) and 10-year (change of use) immunity rules apply.
How long does an LDC application take in Greenwich?
Royal Borough of Greenwich statutory determination for an LDC is 8 weeks but most Greenwich applications resolve at 4–6 weeks because the test is binary — either the works fall within Permitted Development or they do not. We package evidence to make the case officer's decision as fast as possible.
What if my Greenwich property is in a Conservation Area or has Article 4 restrictions?
Article 4 Directions in Greenwich remove specified Permitted Development rights — meaning works that would normally not need planning permission do require it. An LDC application will fail in those circumstances; we run the A4D register check up-front so you know whether to pursue an LDC or pivot to a full householder application.
Need a different package in Greenwich?
Going deeper.
Same ldc in a neighbouring London area?
Lawful Development Certificate in Greenwich — fixed fee, MCIAT-chartered.
Formal LPA certificate confirming that proposed (or existing) works fall within Permitted Development. We know Royal Borough of Greenwich planning officers and the local plan.