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Hammersmith Bridge at sunset, London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham

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Building Compliance in Hammersmith and Fulham

Hammersmith is within the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham, whose planning service covers applications in the borough outside the OPDC planning area. We arrange accredited assessors for new housing, conversions, commercial alterations and managed rented buildings here.

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Hammersmith conservation projects: start with the boundary

The council lists 44 conservation areas covering about half the borough, plus two within the Old Oak Park Royal Development Corporation area. Its conservation guidance also records boundary amendments designated on 13 November 2018. Before specifying replacement windows, insulation or roof-mounted equipment, check the current site boundary rather than relying on an older drawing. For an architect, this establishes which visible changes need discussion before the energy model assumes they are available.

The same council page lists Barons Court, Brook Green and Hammersmith Town Hall among its conservation areas and explains that some permitted development rights are restricted. For an existing building in one of these areas, retrofit assessments can compare improvement options, while U-value calculations establish the performance of proposed build-ups. Neither replaces heritage advice: agree acceptable changes first, then carry those details consistently into the specification and calculations.

Hammersmith major applications: match reports to the checklist

The council’s Major Applications Local Validation Checklist, file dated 10 April 2018 asks for a sustainability statement incorporating an energy assessment for proposals of ten or more new dwellings, or non-residential buildings or extensions of 1,000 square metres or more. Treat the sustainability statement and energy statement as linked submissions: give assessors the same floor areas, use classes, fabric specification and servicing strategy so the documents describe one scheme.

The Hammersmith and Fulham checklist also calls for a noise assessment where new plant or machinery could be audible to neighbours, an air quality assessment where the proposal affects or is affected by air pollution, and an odour management system where ventilation removes odour. For a commercial alteration, settle plant positions before commissioning noise surveys. Do not substitute ventilation commissioning results for the separate planning evidence about odour or air quality.

Services in Hammersmith and Fulham

New homes and conversions

Commercial and public buildings

Existing buildings and refurbishment

Planning applications

Hammersmith and Fulham CC1, CC2, CC3 and CC11

The council identifies its Local Plan, adopted 28 February 2018, as the basis for planning decisions. In that plan, CC1 requires energy assessments for all major developments and CC2 requires sustainability statements or equivalent assessments. A developer should therefore commission the energy work while the building form and services can still change. A sustainability rating alone does not replace the detailed energy evidence required by these policies.

Policy CC3 in the 2018 Local Plan requires water-efficient fittings and appliances in all developments, with additional measures such as rainwater harvesting and greywater reuse for major and high-water-use developments. Use water calculations to test the proposed sanitaryware schedule before procurement. Record actual flow rates and capacities rather than a general promise of efficient fittings, and keep water-use evidence distinct from the site’s flood-risk and drainage submissions.

Policy CC11 addresses protection of noise-sensitive uses through location, layout, materials and insulation, including external amenity areas. For Hammersmith housing near noise-generating uses, acoustic design should inform room layouts and façade specifications before these become fixed. The council’s Planning Guidance SPD, February 2018 also discusses overheating prevention. Coordinate overheating assessments with the acoustic assumptions, particularly where opening windows is part of the cooling strategy.

Hammersmith policy alongside the London Plan 2021

Hammersmith and Fulham’s adopted plan dates from 2018 and refers to the earlier London Plan. Read its borough policies alongside the London Plan 2021, rather than treating the older references as the full current assessment framework. For a major application, London Plan energy assessments should explain the proposed energy strategy alongside the borough’s CC1 evidence. Ask the planning authority to confirm the applicable submission scope before finalising modelling, especially where an older checklist is being used.

Hammersmith landlords: occupancy and street both matter

The council’s property licensing guidance describes mandatory HMO licensing for qualifying homes occupied by five or more people from two or more households sharing facilities, with stated exclusions. Additional licensing covers qualifying three- or four-person shared homes. Selective licensing applies to rented houses or flats in 24 specified streets, including King Street and Goldhawk Road. Check the full criteria against the property’s occupation and address before assuming that a smaller letting falls outside licensing.

The licensing FAQs confirm that the additional scheme runs from 5 June 2022 to 4 June 2027 and discuss competent-person fire risk assessment responsibilities. For a Hammersmith landlord, licence preparation is a useful point to review fire risk assessments, the EPC and legionella risk assessments against the building’s actual use. These are separate checks, not a claim that every licence application requires all three reports.

Hammersmith planning and building control routes

Use the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham’s planning service for the relevant planning route and its Building Control service for building regulations applications. The council’s conservation guidance identifies OPDC as a separate planning authority in the north of the borough. Confirm the site’s authority before addressing a report, then distinguish planning-stage energy and acoustic evidence from calculations and completion testing required for building regulations.

Building compliance questions in Hammersmith and Fulham

Which conservation map should a Hammersmith project use?

The council warns that boundaries have changed since its 2018 Policies Map. Use the current conservation area pages before fixing the scope of alterations.

Does Hammersmith require energy evidence for major applications?

Yes. The council’s major applications checklist asks for a sustainability statement incorporating an energy assessment at its stated dwelling and floorspace thresholds. Agree the report scope before submission.

Can a King Street rental need selective licensing?

King Street is on the council’s list of 24 selective licensing streets. Check the property against the scheme criteria and any applicable HMO route rather than relying on its postcode alone.

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