A rear extension can change how the whole ground floor is used. At Grange Road in South Croydon, our proposal brings the kitchen and living space together at the back of the house, with a central island, roof glazing and bifolding doors towards the garden. A separate front room is retained, and a discreet work area is identified within the new shared space.
The single-storey extension projects four metres from the original rear wall. Croydon Council issued its decision on 4 August 2026 under reference 26/01927/GPDO through the larger home extension prior-approval process.
A shared space with room for different activities
The existing drawings show a kitchen and dining area at the rear, a separate living room at the front and a WC off the hallway. The proposed plan extends the rear accommodation and opens it into a continuous kitchen and living area.
The island gives the kitchen a central working position, while the space beyond it sits close to the garden doors. This arrangement allows cooking and time together to take place within the same room, with a clearer connection between the original house and the new extension.
The drawing also identifies a home-office position with a fold-away Murphy desk near the rear. That introduces a place to work without allocating a whole room to a permanent office. The separate front room offers another useful option, with a possible gym use noted on the plan. These are practical examples of how our house extension designs can respond to several activities within one home.
Daylight from above and a stronger garden connection
The rear elevation shows a broad set of bifolding doors opening towards the patio. Above, the roof plan includes a large flat rooflight over the main extension and another glazed opening alongside it. Bringing light through the roof is intended to help serve the deeper shared space as well as the area immediately beside the garden doors.
The extension has a flat roof enclosed by parapet walls with coping stones. Its walls are specified with render to match the existing house. The council’s decision describes an eaves height of three metres and a maximum height of 3.2 metres, keeping the proposal single storey beneath the existing first-floor accommodation.
The permitted-development outcome
The council’s notice is headed “Prior Approval No Jurisdiction”. It records that no representations were received within the consultation period and that the council therefore had no jurisdiction to consider the effect on adjoining premises’ amenity under that procedure.
This was the larger home extension prior-approval route under permitted development. The notice relates to the four-metre extension and the submitted drawings. Our wider Croydon approved-project collection shows examples of other local schemes and planning routes.
Coordinating the next stage
The design drawings identify structural work around the enlarged opening, alterations to the soil pipe and a need to establish the drainage arrangement. Those details matter to making the open layout work in practice. Subsequent technical drawings retain the main design, with engineering coordination and drainage information forming part of the next stage.
Our building regulations and technical design service develops that construction information beyond the planning drawings. It brings the architectural layout together with the structural and drainage information needed by the builder and building control.
If you are exploring a kitchen extension or a more flexible ground floor, book a call to discuss what you want your home to do.
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