Basement, Ground & Loft Extension in Fulham
45 Bowerdean Street
Project overview
The Project
Services: Planning application, structural engineering, building regulation drawings, and party wall notices and awards — all delivered as a single coordinated programme for a multi-element Conservation Area scheme in the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham.
45 Bowerdean Street is a Victorian terraced property in Fulham, SW6, within a designated Conservation Area. The scope of work covered four distinct elements: a second-floor rear extension over part of the existing back addition; demolition and replacement of the existing ground-floor extensions with a new single-storey side and rear extension; excavation beneath the existing building footprint and rear garden to enlarge the basement and form a rear lightwell; and alterations to the side-extension roof to introduce new rooflights.
Each element brought separate architectural, structural and regulatory requirements. Delivering all four together required the planning drawings, structural calculations, Building Regulations information and party wall process to be coordinated as one programme. This reduced the risk of conflicting revisions and ensured that each discipline worked from the same design information.
The project was assessed against the Hammersmith and Fulham Local Plan, the Council’s Planning Guidance SPD and national planning policy. Particular attention was required because of the Conservation Area setting, the proposed basement works and the relationship with neighbouring properties. The basement design and supporting technical work were coordinated alongside the wider architectural package, including the type of assessment described on our basement impact assessments page.
Planning permission was granted under delegated authority on 9 April 2026 under application reference 2026/00378/FUL. The scheme was approved as submitted, with the proposed materials accepted and no design revisions requested during the application process.
Drawings and project imagery
Project Gallery
Selected architectural drawings, technical details and project views from the coordinated design package.
Planning strategy
Planning & Heritage
The planning strategy for 45 Bowerdean Street required careful consideration due to the property’s location within the Bowerdean Street Conservation Area in the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham. Any proposal affecting the external appearance of a building in a designated Conservation Area must demonstrate that it preserves or enhances the area’s established character while respecting neighbouring properties and the wider streetscape.
The approved scheme included a second-floor rear extension, a replacement single-storey side and rear extension, basement enlargement with a new rear lightwell and alterations to the existing roof. Each element was designed to integrate with the original Victorian property while limiting its visual impact from the public realm. Particular attention was given to scale, proportions, material selection and the relationship between the proposed extensions and the existing building.
The application was assessed against the Hammersmith and Fulham Local Plan, the Planning Guidance Supplementary Planning Document and the National Planning Policy Framework. Supporting documentation, including architectural drawings, design information and technical reports, was coordinated before submission to minimise planning queries and provide the Local Planning Authority with a comprehensive application package.
Planning permission was granted under delegated authority on 9 April 2026 under application reference 2026/00378/FUL. The proposal was approved without design revisions, confirming that the development was considered acceptable in terms of design quality, neighbour amenity and its impact on the Conservation Area.
Early coordination between planning, structural engineering and Building Regulations ensured that the approved planning scheme could progress efficiently into the technical design stage without significant redesign, helping to maintain programme certainty for the client.
Engineering coordination
Structural Engineering
The structural design included retaining walls, underpinning, steelwork and load-transfer arrangements associated with the basement excavation and upper-level extensions. The removal of the existing rear additions required the new structure to be carefully coordinated with the retained walls and floors.
Structural calculations and drawings were developed alongside the architectural package so that beam positions, bearing details and foundation requirements were resolved before the Building Regulations submission.
Technical compliance
Building Regulations
The Building Regulations package covered fire safety, thermal performance, ventilation, drainage, structural design and construction detailing. The basement works, new extensions and roof alterations all had to be coordinated as one technical submission.
The approved planning drawings were developed into a detailed construction package suitable for Building Control review and use by the contractor on site.
Neighbouring property matters
Party Wall
The basement excavation, demolition of existing extensions and construction close to the neighbouring boundaries triggered obligations under the Party Wall etc. Act 1996.
The required notices and awards were coordinated with the architectural and structural information so the adjoining owners received clear details of the proposed works and protective measures.
Consent and delivery
Project Outcome
Planning permission was granted under delegated authority on 9 April 2026. The scheme was approved without design revisions, with the proposed materials and overall form accepted by the Council.
The project progressed as one coordinated package covering planning, structural engineering, Building Regulations and party wall matters.
