Bow homes
Bow is mostly Victorian terraced housing, from the large early Victorian houses around Tredegar Square to the smaller two-storey terraces off Roman Road and in Old Ford, with post-war estates in between. A terrace usually takes a rear dormer or a mansard and a rear or side-return extension.
Conservation areas in Bow
Tower Hamlets has a group of conservation areas in Bow, including Tredegar Square, Roman Road Market, Driffield Road, Fairfield Road, Medway, Tomlins Grove and Swaton Road. Tredegar Square, designated in 1971, runs along the Mile End and Bow boundary between Grove Road and Bow Road. Inside these areas a side extension, extra roof volume and cladding need planning permission.
Loft conversions in Tower Hamlets
Outside a conservation area, a rear dormer on a terraced house can add up to 40 cubic metres as permitted development, subject to the conditions, and we confirm it with a Lawful Development Certificate. Inside one, any loft that adds roof volume needs planning permission, and the council’s character appraisal for the area sets out what it expects.
Tower Hamlets planning
Planning applications for Bow go to Tower Hamlets Council. A loft or extension on a terrace usually involves the party walls, and we coordinate the agreements with a party wall surveyor before work starts.
Bow, Mile End and Hackney Wick
Bow borders Mile End and Hackney Wick. See the loft conversion page for dormer and mansard options and our conservation area planning guide for houses inside the conservation areas.
Sources, checked 29 October 2026: Tower Hamlets Council: conservation areas · GOV.UK: permitted development rights for householders, technical guidance. Council boundaries and Article 4 directions are checked again for each address before design.
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