Article 4 directions remove permitted development rights within a certain area. You’ll need to seek planning permission to carry out building work in these areas:

• houses in multiple occupation (HMOs)
• additional storeys above existing residential and commercial properties

Cabinet Making Report: Development in the Becontree Estate

Draft Becontree Estate Supplementary Planning Document and Design Code Public Consultation (PDF, 94.26 KB)

Direction (Porches) (PDF, 1.5 MB)

Direction (Side and Roof Exts) (PDF, 1.7 MB)

On 11 November 2025, LBBD’s Cabinet approved the making of two Article 4 Directions to: 

• remove permitted development rights for porches for all properties across the Becontree Estate
• remove permitted development rights for side and roof alterations located on corner blocks within the Becontree Estate

This will mean that if residents living within the Becontree Estate are seeking to make changes to a porch on their home, then they will need to apply for planning permission. Likewise, residents living on corner blocks within the Becontree Estate will need to apply for planning permission to make a side or roof alteration. Residents should use the Design Code for guidance on how these home alterations can be made. In many cases, residents will be able to make alterations and extensions that are larger than what is permissible through permitted development. 

These Article 4 Directions will be introduced in November 2026 to give residents time to prepare (non-immediate Directions).

Houses in multiple occupation (HMOs)

Any proposals for small HMOs will be assessed against the Local Plan, which resists the loss of housing of three bedrooms or more. It only allows other proposals for HMOs if several criteria are met, including:

• the number of houses that have been converted to flats and/or HMOs in any road (including unimplemented but still valid planning permissions) does not exceed 10% of the total number of houses in the road
• no two adjacent properties, apart from dwellings that are separated by a road, should be converted

Documents

• Article4 Direction HMO (PDF, 242.02 KB)
• Cabinet Confirmation Report (PDF, 56.51 KB)
• Assembly Confirmation Report (PDF, 56.02 KB)
• Cabinet Making Report (PDF, 57.25 KB)
• Assembly Making Report (PDF, 21.51 KB)
• Houses in Multiple Occupation Notice of Making Article 4 Direction May 2011 (PDF, 41.22 KB)
• Houses in Multiple Occupation Notice confirming Article 4 Direction May 2012 (PDF, 37.59 KB)
• Map of Article 4 Notices April 2012 (PDF, 907.03 KB) 

Licensing

HMOs require private rented property licensing.

Additional storeys above existing residential and commercial properties

On 18 January 2022 the Council confirmed a direction covering the whole of the borough of Barking and Dagenham except designated industrial land to remove the permitted development right which enables additional storeys to be built onto existing residential and commercial properties.

The Direction removes these permitted development rights and requires landowners to seek planning permission for any such developments. This will come into force from 22 February 2022.

Documents

• Cabinet Confirmation Report (PDF, 95KB)
• Cabinet Making Report (PDF, 389KB)
• Justification Report (PDF, 389KB)
• Additional Storeys Notice of Making Article 4 Direction February 2021 (PDF, 1MB)
• Additional Storeys Notice Confirming Article 4 Direction January 2022 (PDF, 72KB)
• Modification Notice of Article 4 Direction (PDF, 358.39 KB)