Hillingdon
Planning across the London Borough of Hillingdon is decided by Hillingdon Council from the Civic Centre on Uxbridge High Street. The borough is largely Green Belt and has a borough-wide Article 4 Direction requiring planning permission for small (C4) HMOs. AVA Home Design prepares and submits applications throughout Hillingdon.
Hillingdon is West London's second-largest borough, stretching from Uxbridge, Ickenham, Ruislip and Northwood in the north down through Hayes, Yiewsley and West Drayton in the south. The London Borough of Hillingdon is the local planning authority for the whole area, and its planning team works from the Civic Centre on the High Street in Uxbridge. As an Architectural Technologist with 17 years' experience and 300+ projects, Sevda Kucuk leads AVA Home Design's work with Hillingdon Council on extensions, conversions, new builds and planning applications.
Roughly 43% of the borough sits within the Metropolitan Green Belt, and Hillingdon has more than 30 conservation areas plus areas of special local character, so local context matters a great deal. Whether you are planning a rear extension in Hayes, a loft conversion in Ruislip or a new HMO in Uxbridge, the right approach depends on the planning designations affecting your specific street. AVA's architectural design service prepares accurate drawings and well-evidenced applications tailored to Hillingdon's policies.
Local planning notes
- The London Borough of Hillingdon is the planning authority; its planning service operates from the Civic Centre, High Street, Uxbridge.
- A borough-wide Article 4 Direction came into force in December 2025 (approved at Full Council on 27 November 2025) removing permitted development rights for converting a dwelling (C3) to a small HMO (C4), so planning permission is now required across all of Hillingdon. Previously this applied only in the Brunel and Uxbridge South wards.
- Around 43% of the borough is designated Metropolitan Green Belt, where there are tight restrictions on new building and extensions.
- Hillingdon has over 30 conservation areas, including Old Uxbridge (Windsor Street), Ruislip Village and Northwood, where extra design controls apply.
- The borough covers Uxbridge, Hayes, Ruislip, Ickenham, Northwood, Yiewsley and West Drayton, among other towns and neighbourhoods.
Services in Hillingdon
- House ExtensionsRear, side, wraparound and double-storey. From concept to build-ready drawings.
- Loft ConversionsDormer, L-shaped and mansard. Unlocking the top floor people forget they own.
- Garage ConversionsThe most cost-effective extra room your house already has.
- OutbuildingsStudios, gyms, offices. Permitted development specialists.
- New BuildsSingle dwellings, garden plots and apartment blocks. Feasibility through to completion.
- HMOs & ConversionsFlat conversions and HMO design optimised for yield and compliance.
- Planning ApplicationsHigh success rate across 12 London and Home Counties councils.
Frequently asked questions
- Which council handles planning in Hillingdon?
- The London Borough of Hillingdon is the local planning authority for the entire borough, covering Uxbridge, Hayes, Ruislip, Ickenham, Northwood, Yiewsley, West Drayton and the surrounding areas. The council's planning service is based at the Civic Centre on the High Street in Uxbridge, and all householder and major applications across Hillingdon are determined there.
- Do I need planning permission for an HMO in Hillingdon?
- Yes. Since December 2025, a borough-wide Article 4 Direction has been in force across Hillingdon, removing the permitted development right to convert a dwelling (Use Class C3) into a small HMO (Use Class C4) for three or more unrelated people sharing. This means planning permission is now required anywhere in the borough; larger HMOs always needed permission. AVA Home Design can prepare and submit the application for you.
- Is my Hillingdon property in the Green Belt or a conservation area?
- It may well be. Around 43% of the borough is Metropolitan Green Belt, mainly in the north and west, and Hillingdon has more than 30 conservation areas such as Old Uxbridge, Ruislip Village and Northwood. Both designations add restrictions and design requirements. We check your property's designations against Hillingdon Council's policies map before designing, so your scheme is realistic from the start.