Croydon is one of London's largest and most varied boroughs — and that variety is exactly what makes planning permission so hard to call. The rules that apply to a Victorian terrace in South Norwood are not the same rules that apply to a detached house in Coulsdon, even if the projects look identical on paper. You won't know which side of the line you're on until you find out what applies to your exact address — free, in about a minute.
The short version
- Croydon has multiple conservation areas, Article 4 Directions, and Green Belt-adjacent land — all of which can remove permitted development rights you'd otherwise have
- The borough's diversity means your neighbour's approved extension tells you almost nothing about your own chances
- A £548 application fee and an 8-week decision window are on the line if you get this wrong
Permitted development isn't a free pass in Croydon
Most homeowners start with the assumption that small projects — a rear extension, a loft conversion, a new fence — don't need planning permission. Sometimes that's right. But permitted development rights come with conditions, and in Croydon those conditions are complicated by a patchwork of designations that most people never think to check.
Conservation areas around Croydon Minster, Addington Village, Waddon, and South Norwood all change what you can do without permission. Article 4 Directions in parts of Shirley, Coulsdon, and Upper Norwood remove specific permitted development rights that would apply almost everywhere else in the country. The southern fringe of the borough — around Biggin Hill and Kenley — borders Green Belt and the Surrey Hills National Landscape, which triggers a separate set of rules entirely.
Most homeowners don't realise any of this until they're already mid-project.
The flood zone factor
The Wandle valley runs through parts of Croydon, and properties in or near flood zones face additional scrutiny that has nothing to do with the size or style of the project. What looks like a straightforward application can become significantly more complicated depending on exactly where your property sits relative to the flood zone boundary.
Flood zone designations aren't always obvious from the street. Two houses on the same road can be in different zones — and the implications for your project can be completely different as a result. The best way to understand how your property's specific location affects your options is to check what your constraint mix actually means for your project.
Don't assume what worked nearby applies to you
Approval decisions in Croydon vary significantly by street and property type. An extension approved two doors down may have been assessed under completely different rules to the ones that apply to your house.
What actually matters: your property's specific situation
The question isn't just "do I need permission?" — it's "what are my actual chances, and what have similar projects near me achieved?" That's where most homeowners hit a wall. The council's planning portal can tell you whether you're in a conservation area. It can't tell you how that designation, combined with your property type, your street's track record, and your specific project, affects your real-world odds.
WhatCanIBuild looks at what's actually been approved and refused near your address — not just the rules in the abstract, but the decisions that have actually been made on projects like yours. Before you spend £548 on an application or assume you don't need one at all, see the approval record for properties on your street and what it means for your chances — no signup needed.
These rules vary by property
Conservation areas, Article 4 directions, and other constraints can change everything. Check what actually applies to your address.
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