House Extensions Peckham
Single storey rear and double storey extensions in Peckham, planning, structure and build under one contract.
- Rated 4.9 from 31 reviews on MyBuilder
- Single-storey rear extension from £40,000
- Free site survey, itemised quote
GS Renovation plans and builds extensions on the Victorian and Edwardian terraced houses of SE15. Most Peckham homes are flats, which have no permitted development, so we are clear early about which route applies. We handle single and double storey rear extensions, side-return infills and wrap-arounds, from foundations and steelwork to the full fit-out, under one accountable team.
In Peckham, a single-storey rear extension typically starts from £40,000, or £2,000 to £2,800 per m² (indicative London ranges, Architecture for London, Resi, MyBuilder and Checkatrade, 2026). GS Renovation Ltd, a building contractor based in Potters Bar, does the work in Peckham: the structural engineer we appoint designs the structure, we build it, and building control signs it off.
Price guide
| Work | Indicative London range |
|---|---|
| Single-storey rear extension | from £40,000 |
| Rear extension, per m² | £2,000 to £2,800 |
| Side return, per m² | £2,400 to £3,200 |
| Wraparound, per m² | £2,400 to £3,200 |
| Double storey, per m² | £1,800 to £2,600 |
| Basement extension | see the basement page |
Indicative London ranges (Architecture for London, Resi, MyBuilder and Checkatrade, 2026), not a quotation. Prices checked September 2026. Full breakdown: Extension Costs & Planning.
Quick estimate for Peckham
Peckham range: choose above
Side-return extensions on Peckham terraces
On a Peckham terrace, the narrow side return running alongside the rear closet wing is one of the most effective places to widen a cramped kitchen. We dig and pour new foundations against the existing wall, tie in the drainage and set a steel beam where the old outside wall comes out. The result is a wide, bright kitchen-diner that suits how families in SE15 actually live.
Combining a side-return infill with a modest rear extension gives even more space without swallowing the whole garden. We match brickwork to the Victorian stock where it shows, form a flat or pitched roof with rooflights over the darker middle of the plan, and carry the project through to plastering, electrics and decoration. You deal with one team from groundworks to the finished room.
Housing in Peckham
Roughly 26,680 dwellings sit on the valuation list for Peckham. 26% are houses and 74% flats, and by age 36% predate 1919, 2% are interwar and 56% post-war. Most homes here are flats, and a flat in Peckham has no householder permitted development rights, so extending one needs planning permission and the freeholder's consent.
What Southwark's Householder SPD allows at the back of a Peckham house
Southwark's Cabinet decided to adopt the Householder Development Supplementary Planning Document at its meeting of 07/07/2025, and it sets out how rear extensions in Peckham are read. The SPD says a single storey rear extension without planning permission is not available to flats, maisonettes, homes in a Conservation Area or listed homes. 74% of homes in Peckham are flats, so for a large part of the area the starting point is a planning application. A house in a conservation area is less clear cut: the national permitted development rules still allow a single storey rear extension there unless a direction removes the right. A lawful development certificate from Southwark settles the point before any drawings are paid for.
For a terraced or semi-detached house, the SPD says the rear can be extended by up to 3m in depth with a maximum height of 4m. It adds that rear extensions must not take up more than 50% of the total rear garden space. On a short Peckham plot the garden test can bite before the depth limit does, particularly when a side return infill and a rear section are combined. Ask how the existing closet wing is counted, then have the designer show the remaining garden as a measured area on the drawings, so the calculation is on the page when the application is read.
Planning and party walls in Peckham
Whether your Peckham extension is permitted development or needs a full planning application depends on the property. Many single storey rear extensions on a standard SE15 terrace fall under permitted development, but flats, corner plots, an Article 4 direction or, for side and two-storey extensions, a conservation area can require an application to Southwark Council. We assess your specific house and tell you honestly which route applies before you commit.
Either way, the structural work needs building regulations approval, and shared walls bring in the Party Wall Act. Because Peckham terraces sit tight against their neighbours, digging foundations near the boundary or building off a party wall almost always means a notice, which you serve as building owner. The engineer sizes the steelwork, we arrange building control inspections and give you the drawings and programme the party wall notices need, so the whole job stays properly compliant.
Kitchen extensions in Peckham
74% of homes in Peckham are flats, and a flat has no householder permitted development, so a ground-floor flat's kitchen extension needs planning permission from Southwark Council and the freeholder's consent. Most kitchen extensions here are on the 26% of homes that are houses. The fit-out is priced on its own page, kitchen renovation in Peckham; the build figures are in the table above.
Double storey extensions in Peckham
Under permitted development a two-storey rear extension can go no more than 3 metres beyond the original rear wall and must stay at least 7 metres from the rear boundary, and in a conservation area it is not permitted development at all. Many gardens are too short for the 7 metre rule, so a double storey extension in Peckham often needs planning permission from Southwark Council. It is a job for the 26% of homes that are houses; a flat cannot add a storey this way. The Peckham Hill Street Conservation Area appraisal says mansard roof extensions would not be considered appropriate given the cohesive roofscape (council source). Our double storey extension page explains the build, at £1,800 to £2,600 per m² across both floors.
- Wrap-around extensions and infills
- Levels, drainage and landscaping made good around the new build
- Flat and pitched roofs with rooflights or lanterns
VOA Council Tax stock of properties, March 2025, for all 6 statistical areas in Peckham. Counts rounded by the VOA.
Trusted House Extensions in Peckham
Peckham homeowners pick GS Renovation because we build extensions that respect the terrace they attach to, from foundations and steel to the final coat of paint. We advise clearly on permitted development versus a Southwark Council application, manage building control and keep one team accountable throughout. Our founder's 30+ years on the tools sits behind every project.
- Programme planned around party wall notice periods before excavation near a neighbour
- Building control inspected at foundation, damp course and steel stages
- Free, no-obligation quotations
Built a new extension at rear of property. Laid foundations, drainage, raised floor, new roof and completed all fixtures and interior decoration…
George was brilliant. Lovely bloke, very reasonably priced and a perfectionist to boot. He completed our small kitchen renovation with care and great…
George always kept to commitments and arrived on time. He offered helpful suggestions during his initial visit and promptly provided a reasonably…
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions about House Extensions Peckham
Can you quote house extensions for an SE15 property over the phone?
A rough steer on house extensions in Peckham is possible by phone; a quotation is not. The steer is £2,000 to £2,800 per m² for a rear extension (indicative), and the figure waits until the SE15 property has been seen, because purpose-built post-war construction rarely matches the assumption. The call also covers the approvals: a Southwark Council building control inspection of the foundations before concrete is poured. Ring 07472 424 226 or email info@gsrenovationltd.co.uk.
Will my Peckham rear extension need planning permission?
Many single storey rear extensions on a standard SE15 terrace are permitted development, but flats, corner plots, homes covered by an Article 4 direction, and side or two-storey extensions in a conservation area need a full application to Southwark Council. We assess your house first and tell you which route applies. Whichever it is, the build still needs building regulations approval.
Is there permitted development for a Peckham maisonette extension?
No. Permitted development applies to houses, and maisonettes are treated like flats, so a rear extension needs full planning permission from Southwark Council. In Peckham, where most homes are flats, this applies to a large share of the properties. Freeholder consent under the lease is also needed, before any drawings are commissioned.
Will my Peckham neighbour get notice when the extension foundations are dug?
If you excavate within 3 metres of their building to below the depth of its foundations, yes. The Party Wall Act requires one month's notice before that excavation. A wall built on the line, or a cut into an existing shared one, carries separate notices. An objecting neighbour is not a veto: it moves the terms into a surveyors' award.
How well insulated must a new Peckham extension be?
It must meet current Part L standards for walls, floor, roof and glazing. That affects how much glass can go in, because large glazed areas use up the heat loss allowance, which can then need higher insulation elsewhere. The steel beam and the junction with the old house are also detailed to avoid cold bridges.
When does building control get involved in a Peckham extension?
From the start and at each key stage. Building regulations apply to every extension regardless of the planning route. Southwark building control or a registered building control approver looks at the foundations, drainage, damp proof course, structure and insulation. A completion certificate is issued at the end.
Is a full width rear extension possible in the Peckham Hill Street Conservation Area?
The Peckham Hill Street Conservation Area appraisal says full width rear extensions will normally prove unacceptable and extensions should be clearly subservient. That points towards a side return infill, or a narrower rear addition that leaves part of the original back wall visible, rather than a single box across the whole plot. Designing to that from the first sketch avoids a refusal and a redesign. The structural engineer we appoint then sizes the steel for the opening the appraisal allows, not for one that planning will not approve.
How does Southwark set the building control charge for a Peckham extension?
By floor area. Southwark's final fees and charges schedule has one charge for an extension less than 40sqm and a higher one for an extension between 40 and 60sqm. A side return infill combined with a short rear section can land close to the 40sqm line, so confirm the floor area from the drawings before applying. A scheme sitting just over that line can sometimes be trimmed into the lower band without losing anything that matters in the finished room.
Will a Peckham extension be liable for the Community Infrastructure Levy?
Not usually for a householder extension, but it has to be handled correctly. Southwark's draft revised CIL charging schedule lists extensions to buildings of less than 100 square metres as exempt, unless the development will comprise one or more dwellings, that is, where it creates a new home. With 74% of Peckham homes being flats, that exception matters when a scheme adds a self-contained flat. Southwark's CIL schedule then sets residential rates by zone, plus the Mayor of London's CIL. An extension over 100 square metres to your own home can be exempt too, but that relief must be claimed before work starts.
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