Merton

Local plan

Merton’s Local Plan was adopted on 20 November 2024, replacing the 2011 Core Planning Strategy, 2014 Sites and Policies Plan and 2014 Policies Map. [1][2]

The development plan also includes the London Plan 2021, Estates Local Plan 2018 and South London Waste Plan 2022–2037. [3]

Home projects should check D12.4 (extensions), D12.5 (heritage), D12.10 (dwelling conversions), D12.11 (basements), F15.8 (flooding) and the adopted Policies Map. [5][7][8]

D12.10 requires at least one home with three or more bedrooms to be re-provided when converting an existing home of that size into two or more smaller units. [5]

Householder design guide

Use D12.4 for extensions and roof alterations, together with the Borough Character Study SPD, adopted on 22 June 2021, and any relevant conservation-area guidance. [5][10][11][23]

The Small Sites Toolkit 2021, adopted on the same date, addresses residential-led new housing on sites up to 0.25 hectares; it is not a blanket set of permitted-development allowances for every house. [12]

Its roof-extension guidance, section 5.1.38–5.1.44 and Figure 5.14, should be read in the context of the existing building and street rather than as automatic approval for a dormer or mansard. [13]

Validation list

Use the council’s Validation Checklist 2025, updated June 2026, despite the older year in its title. [14][15]

Item 22 requires a proportionate Planning Fire Safety Strategy or, where relevant requirements do not apply, a Reasonable Exception Statement; this is separate from item 23’s major-development Fire Statement. [15]

Schemes creating 1–9 homes also need Merton’s minor-residential Energy Assessment Template, read with the March 2026 sustainable-design explanatory note. [15][16]

Check the current national biodiversity-net-gain exemptions separately, because they changed on 6 August 2026, after this checklist’s revision. [42]

Article 4 directions

The council describes its C3-to-C4 HMO controls as borough-wide, implemented through two directions. [17]

The seven-ward direction started on 17 November 2022 and was confirmed on 19 April 2023. [18][19]

The remaining thirteen wards were covered from 24 March 2026, but the published instrument makes continuation beyond 24 September 2026 conditional on confirmation. Obtain the formal confirmation record before relying on the continuing restriction or assuming permitted-development rights are available. [20][21]

Check the separate John Innes directions and the council's commercial-conversion and Wimbledon-marquee information against the relevant property and document rather than relying solely on the HMO map. [17][23][50]

Conservation areas

Use the council’s area-by-area conservation list to find the boundary map, appraisal and design guidance for the property. [22][23]

For example, the John Innes Merton Park and Wilton Crescent Design Guide addresses local roof character, materials and dormers, while separately mapped Article 4 controls affect particular properties and works. [24][25][26][27][28][29]

The council’s 2007 notification letters record confirmation of the First and Second Directions on 25 June 2007; do not assume that their address schedules, or the earlier directions, cover every property inside the conservation-area boundary. [26][27][29]

Basement policy

D12.11(6) limits basements proposed as alterations to existing buildings to one storey and restricts the extension beyond the original outer walls to 50% of the original dwelling’s footprint. [5]

For new-build or redevelopment proposals, D12.11(7) instead applies a one-storey limit and a 50% front, rear or side garden test. [5]

Basement applications require a Basement Impact Assessment, drainage strategy, outline Construction Method Statement and Construction Traffic Management Plan. [15]

Read the 2017 Basement SPD with the newer policy and F15.8 flood restrictions; the latter’s two tables contain differing Flood Zone 2 wording, so obtain written clarification before proposing a basement bedroom or self-contained home there. [7][31]

CIL rates

For permissions granted in 2026, Merton’s published indexed residential CIL rates are £368.20/m² in the Colliers Wood, Raynes Park and Wimbledon charging zone, and £192.47/m² in the Mitcham, Morden and West Barnes zone. [34]

The indexed rate for retail warehouses/superstores is £167.36/m², not a general rate for every shop. [34]

The separate MCIL2 Band 2 rate for Merton is £72.73/m² in 2026, subject to the applicable charging rules. [35]

Use the charging-zone map and confirm chargeable floorspace, deductions and any relief before starting work; an area name alone does not establish a property’s liability. [32][33]

Pre-application advice

The published Category D householder charge is £250 for a 15-minute virtual meeting, with verbal advice only, booked through pre-apps@merton.gov.uk. [36]

An additional 15 minutes costs £200, and conservation-officer input is listed at an extra £180. [36]

Ancillary residential annexes fall within D+, listed at £500 for a one-hour meeting, with a further £200 for full written advice. [36]

Confirm the correct category, VAT treatment and total charge when booking, because VAT is not expressly identified for these category prices; advice does not guarantee permission. [36]

Building control

Merton’s inspection-booking page lists 020 4605 3145 and buildingcontrol@merton.gov.uk, at Merton Civic Centre, London Road, Morden, SM4 5DX. [38]

Agree the inspection stages for the work and arrange visits before relevant construction is covered over. [38]

Request a current project-specific fee quotation: the council’s online tariff and linked PDF contain inconsistent figures and discount information. [39][40]

For work outside the higher-risk-building regime, building regulations approval can generally be handled by the council or a registered building control approver; it is separate from planning permission. [37][51]

The 2026 Future Homes and Buildings Standards regulations generally commence on 24 March 2027. Specified provisions for higher-risk building work and work to existing higher-risk buildings commence on 24 September 2027, with separate transitional arrangements. Confirm the provisions, application and start dates applicable to the project; the new-home standard is not a blanket requirement to retrofit an existing home. [47]