Not every item in the 2023 guidance has the same status. [1] [2] [3]
Internal space and ceiling heights
D6 uses the Nationally Described Space Standard for dwelling areas, bedroom sizes and built-in storage. Start with the intended number of occupants and internal storeys rather than bedroom count alone. The minimum area of a one-bedroom, two-person single-storey dwelling is 50 square metres, including its required storage. [1] [4]
London's ceiling-height requirement is at least 2.5 metres over at least 75% of the dwelling's gross internal area. Coordinate this with the finished floor and ceiling construction rather than relying on an external storey-height dimension. [1]
Private outdoor space must be usable
The London housing standards provide for at least five square metres of private outdoor space for a one- or two-person dwelling, plus one square metre for each additional occupant. The minimum width and depth are 1.5 metres. The guidance also identifies better-practice objectives, which should not be confused with those minimum dimensions. [2]
Show the actual usable area and access to it. A balcony outline should make its dimensions clear, and the design should consider privacy, outlook and how residents will use it. A narrow leftover strip should not be labelled “amenity space” without demonstrating that it meets the relevant requirements. [2]
Do not count private outdoor space as part of the dwelling's required internal area. The internal and external standards answer different questions and must be checked separately. [4] [2]
Storage and everyday use
Plan built-in storage with the dwelling layout. London's guidance also addresses waste storage and the practical functioning of homes, so review these alongside furniture, circulation and access. Required storage should not disappear when the final kitchen, service cupboard or circulation arrangement is drawn. [2] [4]
Cycle storage needs its own solution. Under the March 2026 guidance, an accepted arrangement inside a dwelling must be additional to minimum internal accommodation, required storage and private amenity space; it should not take over a habitable room. [3]
What changed in March 2026?
The support package withdrew specified guidance items: C4.1 on dual-aspect homes, B2.5 concerning the number of homes served by a core, and B3.1 on cycle parking. It introduced temporary residential cycle-parking arrangements. These changes did not withdraw D6 or make all single-aspect layouts acceptable irrespective of their quality. [3]
When checking an older report, identify whether a claimed requirement comes from an adopted policy, a retained guidance item, a withdrawn item or a best-practice recommendation. This avoids treating an obsolete checklist entry as a current mandatory limit. [3] [2]
The temporary long-stay cycle-parking guidance applies until 31 March 2028. Its time limit forms part of the applicable design context; it is not a permanent replacement of the London Plan's cycle-parking standards. [3]
Keep the standards schedule current
Prepare one schedule covering occupancy, internal area, bedrooms, storage, ceiling heights and outdoor space. Cross-check it against the access, fire and servicing plans. The replacement London Plan was still a draft on 2 October 2026; future proposals should be recorded separately from the current compliance assessment. [1] [5]