London
Building Compliance in Hackney
Local information last checked:
Hackney LP33: policy evidence to build into the design
Hackney’s Local Plan 2033, adopted on 22 July 2020, forms part of the development plan alongside the London Plan. The council’s LP33 page identifies the adopted documents. Use the policy requirements below to brief reports before fixing layouts, glazing and building services.
| Local plan policy number and name | What a compliance report must show | Link |
|---|---|---|
| LP55 Mitigating Climate Change | Explain the zero-carbon approach for new residential development and quantify energy-efficiency measures. Non-residential proposals must address BREEAM Excellent and zero-carbon construction. An energy statement should make assumptions, achieved reductions and any remaining shortfall traceable. | LP33, July 2020 |
| LP54 Overheating and Adapting to Climate Change | Show how orientation, materials and design avoid overheating. Major applications should include overheating risk analysis within the energy assessment. Test shading and ventilation options before relying on active cooling, so the proposed solution can be carried through to drawings. | LP54 |
| LP53 Water and Flooding | Major development needs a sustainable drainage strategy and evidence of sewerage capacity or provision before occupation. Keep this separate from internal water calculations: fixture consumption calculations cannot replace the drainage evidence required by this policy. | LP53 |
| LP58 Improving the Environment - Pollution | Noise-sensitive development near existing noise-generating uses needs a noise assessment and mitigation evidence. Commission acoustic design while layouts remain adjustable, rather than treating a later sound insulation test as evidence of acceptable external noise exposure. | LP58 |
Hackney validation: even one new home needs energy evidence
Hackney’s planning application validation checklist, published as a Google Doc from the council’s submit your planning application page, requires an Energy Strategy Statement for all major applications, proposals providing one or more residential units, and non-residential development creating additional floorspace. A small conversion is therefore not automatically outside the requirement. Arrange an energy statement against the proposed accommodation and services, and keep its floor areas consistent with the submitted plans.
The same Hackney checklist requires a Sustainability Impact Assessment for proposals including one or more residential units, new buildings or conversions of at least 1,000 square metres gross internal floorspace, residential sites of at least 0.5 hectares, or any development on at least one hectare. A sustainability statement should address the applicable project requirements rather than simply repeat the energy calculations.
The checklist lists overheating risk assessments for all major and all minor planning applications, giving mechanical ventilation such as air-conditioning units as an example. It also requires noise evidence where proposals disturb neighbours or introduce noise-sensitive occupants near existing sources. Confirm the assessment scope for the actual application, coordinating overheating assessments with noise surveys where opening windows is part of the cooling strategy.
Services in Hackney
New homes and conversions
- Air tightness testing in Hackney
- Sound insulation testing in Hackney
- Ventilation testing in Hackney
- MVHR commissioning in Hackney
- SAP calculations in Hackney
- Home energy model in Hackney
- U-value calculations in Hackney
- Thermal bridging calculations in Hackney
- Condensation risk analysis in Hackney
- Water calculations in Hackney
- Background ventilation calculations in Hackney
- Overheating assessments in Hackney
- CIBSE TM59 and TM52 assessments in Hackney
- Party wall and ceiling design in Hackney
- Party floor design in Hackney
- Regulation 25A reports in Hackney
Commercial and public buildings
Existing buildings and refurbishment
Hackney policy alongside the London Plan 2021
Hackney’s adopted LP33 expressly uses the London Plan energy hierarchy and expects major developments to produce an energy assessment identifying achieved carbon targets and shortfalls. Read these borough requirements alongside the London Plan 2021, not as a substitute for it. London Plan energy assessments can bring the policy response together with residential or non-domestic modelling, avoiding conflicting assumptions between the planning narrative and technical schedules.
For Hackney Wick sites in the former London Legacy Development Corporation area, first establish the applicable policy geography. Hackney’s submission guidance says planning powers transferred back on 1 December 2024, while the Legacy Corporation Local Plan remains the local plan for that area. Do not apply the LP33 table indiscriminately to every Hackney address; confirm the site’s policy basis before instructing calculations.
Hackney landlords: check occupancy and ward before ordering reports
Hackney’s licence checker identifies additional HMO licensing for shared homes with three or four people from two or more households, and mandatory licensing for five or more people from two or more households sharing facilities. Selective licensing covers specified wards, including Dalston, Homerton and Stoke Newington, for single households, single tenants or two sharers. Check the address and exemptions rather than assuming the same licence applies across the borough.
For a Hackney licence application, the council asks for layout and fire-safety information and says floor plans and safety reports help its assessment on the application page. Use that document review to identify any necessary fire risk assessments. Review EPC and legionella risk assessments separately as part of property management; this application page does not establish either as a universal licence upload requirement.
Building compliance questions in Hackney
Does a single new flat in Hackney need an energy statement?
Yes. The Hackney validation checklist includes applications providing one or more residential units. Instruct the energy strategy alongside the conversion design, not only when a scheme reaches major-development scale.
Does LP33 apply everywhere in Hackney Wick?
Do not assume so. Hackney’s transfer guidance says the Legacy Corporation Local Plan remains applicable in its former area despite the transfer of planning powers. Confirm the site boundary before using LP33 requirements.
Can two sharers need a Hackney property licence?
Yes. Hackney’s licence checker includes two individuals sharing within the selective licensing criteria in the listed wards. Check the address and exemptions before choosing an HMO licence instead.
Guides
Request a quote
Tell us about the project once. We will confirm which services apply and send a quote.
All fields marked * are required.