Sutton has been part of London since 1965, but it was in Surrey before then, and many addresses still read “Sutton, Surrey”. For building work, the London side is what counts: the London Plan and Sutton Council’s own policies decide what you may build. This guide is for homeowners and small businesses in Sutton, Cheam, Carshalton, Wallington and the places round them who are planning an extension, a loft conversion, a refurbishment or a repair.
It summarises what the council and other public bodies publish, as at October 2026. Rules and fees change, so confirm the detail with the council before you rely on it.
Building in Sutton
The London Borough of Sutton was formed from Sutton and Cheam, Carshalton, and Beddington and Wallington. It had about 209,600 people at the 2021 Census. Its neighbours are Merton, Croydon and Kingston in London, and Epsom and Ewell and Reigate and Banstead in Surrey.
The borough grew out of five old villages along the spring line, Cheam, Sutton, Carshalton, Wallington and Beddington, and houses built between the wars are now the most common sight. By area:
- North Cheam and Worcester Park: mostly detached and semi-detached houses of the 1920s and 1930s.
- St Helier: built by the London County Council between about 1928 and 1936, mostly two-storey terraces and semis. It was among the largest council estates in Europe.
- Wallington: Victorian villas north of the station and Edwardian houses to the south.
- Sutton: Victorian terraces east of the town centre, and large Victorian villas in Landseer Road.
- Carshalton and Cheam villages: older houses round the historic centres, both of them conservation areas.
Semi-detached and terraced houses made up just over half of the borough’s homes at the 2021 Census, and flats most of the rest.
Planning in Sutton
Sutton Council decides planning applications in the borough. The plan in force is the Sutton Local Plan 2016 to 2031, adopted in 2018, with the London Plan 2021. A new Local Plan for 2024 to 2041 was consulted on in the summer of 2026 and is expected to be adopted in late 2027. For extensions, the council’s Design of Residential Extensions guidance (2006) sets out what it looks for.
Sutton is not part of the reorganisation of Surrey’s councils in 2027. Its planning stays with Sutton Council.
Conservation areas and Article 4 directions
Sutton has 15 conservation areas, among them Carshalton Village, Cheam Village, Wallington Green, Beddington Village, Sutton Garden Suburb and Sutton High Street Crossroads. In a conservation area, side extensions, roof extensions and two-storey rear extensions need a planning application.
Two Article 4 directions reach further into houses:
- Sutton Garden Suburb: householder permitted development rights are removed, so most outside changes need planning permission.
- Roofs: a direction of 1984 brings roof extensions and dormers under control at a number of houses across the borough. The council does not list them on its website, so ask before a loft conversion is designed.
The borough also has around 200 listed buildings and about 100 on its local list.
Areas of Special Local Character
Sutton also names more than 20 Areas of Special Local Character, among them St Helier, Park Hill Road in Wallington, the Burton Estates in North Cheam, Pine Walk in Carshalton Beeches and Kings Road in Belmont. They do not take away permitted development rights, but when an application is needed the council weighs how the work fits the character of the area.
Green Belt and Metropolitan Open Land
About 14% of the borough is Green Belt, all of it in the south: Woodcote, with Oaks Park and Little Woodcote, and Cuddington. Another 12% is Metropolitan Open Land, such as Beddington Farmlands, which is protected in the same way. The Local Plan allows an extension to a building in the Green Belt of up to 30% above its original volume.
Building control
Building Regulations approval is needed for nearly every extension and loft conversion. Sutton Council runs its own building control service and publishes its charges. You can use it or a registered building control approver. Either one inspects the work at set stages and issues a completion certificate at the end, which you should keep with the deeds.
Ground, flooding and water
- Chalk in the south, clay in the north. The southern half of the borough is on chalk and the north on London Clay, with a band of sand and clay between them. Clay shrinks and swells with the seasons, more so near trees, so a structural engineer sizes the foundations of an extension for the ground and the trees round it.
- Flood risk. The rivers are the Wandle, the Pyl Brook and the Beverley Brook. The council’s flood risk assessment puts the highest river risk near the Wandle at Hackbridge and the Pyl Brook at Worcester Park, and finds flooding from surface water, sewers and groundwater across much of the borough. Check the flood map before an extension is designed.
- Water and drains. SES Water supplies drinking water to most of the borough and Thames Water to the rest, and Thames Water runs the sewers. A new connection to a public sewer, or building over one, needs Thames Water’s agreement.
Skips, scaffolding and parking
- Skips on the road or the pavement need a permit from Sutton Council, which only skip companies can apply for.
- Scaffolding and hoarding on the highway need a temporary structure licence.
- Parking. Sutton town centre, Belmont and parts of Cheam are controlled parking zones. Vans there need a trader permit, or a dispensation or bay suspension booked several working days ahead.
Your builder should arrange all three and include them in the price.
The Community Infrastructure Levy
Sutton charges the Community Infrastructure Levy, as does the Mayor of London, on new building of 100 square metres or more and on any new home. An extension to your own home is usually exempt, but the exemption has to be claimed before work starts. Ask about it early if your extension is large.
Choosing a builder in Sutton
The checks are the same as anywhere, with a few that matter more in Sutton:
- A visit before a price, then a written, itemised quotation
- A builder who checks early whether the house is in a conservation area, under an Article 4 direction or in an Area of Special Local Character
- Skip, scaffold and parking permits included in the price
- Insurance certificates you can read, and recent work you can see
- Changes priced in writing before they are built
- A written warranty on the work
Resmor in Sutton
We are builders working across Surrey, South London and the surrounding areas, Sutton, Cheam, Carshalton and Wallington included. We take on home improvements, such as extensions, loft conversions, refurbishments, kitchens, bathrooms and landscaping, and property maintenance for homes and small businesses. You get a written, itemised quotation, project management with clear communication, inspections at every stage and a written warranty on our work. If a product fails, we make the manufacturer pay for the repair and the replacement.
We also work over the border in Epsom, Ewell and Banstead.
Planning work in Sutton, or something to fix? Start an enquiry and we will call you back to arrange a visit.
Questions people ask
Do I need planning permission for an extension in Sutton?
Not always. Many single-storey rear extensions and loft conversions are permitted development. The rules are tighter in Sutton's 15 conservation areas, an Article 4 direction removes householder permitted development rights in Sutton Garden Suburb, and another brings roof extensions and dormers under control at a number of houses across the borough. Check with Sutton Council before you fix a budget.
Is an Area of Special Local Character the same as a conservation area?
No. Sutton names more than 20 Areas of Special Local Character, such as St Helier, Park Hill Road in Wallington and Pine Walk in Carshalton Beeches. Being in one does not remove permitted development rights, but the council takes the character of the area into account when it decides a planning application.
Who does building control in Sutton?
Sutton Council runs its own building control service, and publishes its fees. You can also use a registered building control approver. Either one inspects the work in stages and issues a completion certificate at the end.
Do I need a permit for a skip or scaffolding in Sutton?
Yes, if it stands on the road or the pavement. Sutton Council issues skip permits to skip companies, and scaffolding or hoarding on the highway needs a licence. In a controlled parking zone, vans need a trader permit or a parking dispensation booked in advance.
Do you work in Cheam, Carshalton and Wallington?
Yes. We take on work across the borough of Sutton, including Cheam, North Cheam, Carshalton, Carshalton Beeches, Wallington, Belmont and the Sutton side of Worcester Park, and over the border in Epsom and Banstead.