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GPDO 2015 England Permitted Development rules · statutory fees effective 1 April 2026

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Extensions & Lofts Schedule 2, Part 1 · Class A · 3m/7m

Two-Storey Rear Extension Rules: The 3m and 7m Tests

A two-storey (or first-floor) rear extension can be Permitted Development under Class A, but the limits are much tighter than single-storey: no more than 3m deep, at least 7m from the rear boundary, more than 2m from the side boundaries, with a roof pitch matching the house. Test your plans below.

If PD
£0
Application
£548
Decision
8 wks

Step 1 · Your project

Two-Storey Rear checker

3.0m
11.0m

Measure to the boundary directly opposite the rear wall, at its nearest point.

Is any part within 2m of a side boundary?
Roof pitch
Upper-floor side-facing windows
Article 2(3) land (e.g. conservation area)?

Rules reflect the GPDO 2015 (England) for houses. Flats, maisonettes, listed buildings and Article 4 areas have restricted rights. Disclaimer.

Step 2 · Live statutory assessment

Permitted Development – Class A (Two Storeys)

Class A · 3m/7m

Your 3.0m two-storey extension with 8.0m to the rear boundary meets the Class A limits. Get a Lawful Development Certificate before you build.

  • Depth 3.0m is within the 3m two-storey limit.
  • 8.0m remains to the rear boundary – meets the 7m rule.
  • More than 2m from side boundaries.
  • Roof pitch matches the original house.
SIDE ELEVATION – 3m DEPTH & 7m BOUNDARY RULE
ORIGINAL HOUSE STANDARD PD 3m REAR BOUNDARY 8.0m (MIN 7.0m) PROJECTION 3.0m

England fees & timings (from 1 April 2026)

Council application fee

£0

Class A right

Lawful Development Certificate

£274

Strongly advised – high-value works

Decision time

0 weeks

LDC takes ~8 weeks

Applying online via the Planning Portal adds a £91 service charge (inc. VAT).

Builder & neighbour spec sheet

Export these exact limits and your answers to share with your contractor.

At a glance

Two-Storey Rear: the statutory limits in England

  • Max 3m beyond the rear wall of the original house – for all house types.
  • No part within 7m of the boundary opposite the rear wall.
  • Within 2m of any boundary the eaves must not exceed 3m – so in practice a two-storey extension must be more than 2m from side boundaries.
  • Roof pitch must match the original house so far as practicable; eaves and ridge no higher than the existing.
  • Upper-floor side-facing windows must be obscure-glazed and non-opening below 1.7m.
  • Not permitted on Article 2(3) land; the Larger Home Extension scheme covers single-storey only.

Statutory reference

Legislation summary & 2026 fee table

England statutory planning fees effective 1 April 2026. Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland operate different regimes.

GPDO legislation and fee summary for Two-Storey Rear Extensions
Primary legislation Town and Country Planning (General Permitted Development) (England) Order 2015 (SI 2015/596), as amended
GPDO Schedule / Part Schedule 2, Part 1
Class Class A – extensions of more than one storey
Exact reference GPDO 2015 Sch.2 Pt.1 Class A, A.1(h), A.1(i), A.2(c), A.3(b)–(c)
Standard application fee £548 – Householder planning application
Lawful Development Certificate (proposed) £274 – optional proof the works are lawful
Planning Portal service charge £91 (inc. VAT) if submitted online
Council determination period 8 weeks
Key exclusions Multi-storey rear extensions are not permitted on Article 2(3) land. No Prior Approval route exists for two storeys.

Avoid enforcement

The 3 most common homeowner traps

Trap #1

Measuring the 7m to the wrong point

The 7m is measured from the extension to the boundary opposite the rear wall – not to the neighbour’s house behind. On angled or irregular plots, take the shortest distance from any part of the extension. Gardens of 10m or less rarely allow a PD two-storey extension.

Trap #2

Assuming you can stack on a 6m ground floor

The Larger Home Extension scheme is single-storey only. A deep ground-floor extension with a 3m first floor above is assessed as one extension of more than one storey, so the whole thing must stay within 3m – otherwise it needs a householder application.

Trap #3

Forgetting neighbours’ civil rights

PD does not override rights to light or the Party Wall Act. A two-storey extension close to a neighbour’s window can still face a rights-to-light claim, and foundations near the boundary almost always need Section 6 notices.

Separate legal regimes

Building Regulations vs planning permission

A two-storey extension is major building work requiring Full Plans Building Regulations approval in nearly all cases:

Structure (Part A)
Steelwork to open up the rear wall at two levels, engineered foundations and lateral restraint – structural calculations are essential.
Fire safety (Part B)
First-floor rooms need escape windows or a protected stair; smoke detection must extend into the new space.
Energy (Part L)
New walls, roof and windows must meet Approved Document L limiting U-values; large glazing areas may need SAP-based justification.
Drainage (Part H)
Building within 3m of a public sewer requires a water company build-over agreement before work starts.

Expect to serve Party Wall etc. Act 1996 notices: Section 6 for foundations within 3m of a neighbour’s building and deeper than theirs (or within 6m at a 45° line for deep foundations) – one month’s notice – and Section 2 (two months) for any work to a shared wall.

FAQs

Two-Storey Rear: frequently asked questions

Can I build a two-storey extension without planning permission?

Yes, if it is no more than 3m deep, at least 7m from the rear boundary, more than 2m from side boundaries, with a matching roof pitch and obscure-glazed side windows – and the house is not on Article 2(3) land. Otherwise a householder application (£548) is needed.

What is the 7-metre rule?

No part of an extension of more than one storey may be within 7m of the boundary of the curtilage opposite the rear wall of the house. It protects the privacy of properties behind you.

Is a two-storey side extension Permitted Development?

No. Class A only allows side extensions of a single storey, so any two-storey side extension needs a householder planning application.

Do materials have to match the house?

Yes – Class A requires exterior materials of similar appearance to the existing house. Contemporary cladding or large glazed walls on a brick house usually take the design outside PD.

Sources: The Town and Country Planning (General Permitted Development) (England) Order 2015 and amendments (legislation.gov.uk); MHCLG ‘Permitted development rights for householders: technical guidance’; the Town and Country Planning (Fees for Applications…) (England) Regulations 2012 as amended; Building Regulations 2010 Approved Documents; Party Wall etc. Act 1996. Last reviewed 15 October 2026. See our editorial standards and disclaimer.

Related planning checkers

Class A · 3m/4m

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Class A · <30m²

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