Published: Wednesday 22 October 2025
Switching to double glazing should be a simple process, and for people who live in houses, they can usually make this change without planning permission. Now the Council has introduced a new local development order means people in flats can instal double glazing without planning permission.
The order is one of a kind, making Kensington and Chelsea the only place in the country to take the radical step to allow new windows without planning permission, even in conservation areas.
To protect the heritage of the borough, windows should be replaced with a new window of ‘similar appearance’. This could mean installing double glazing where only single glazing is in place, or replacing old double-glazed windows with more modern and efficient products, helping people to make their homes warmer and greener. The order also would allow uPVC windows to be replaced with wood.
Cllr Johnny Thalassites, lead member for planning and environment, said:
“Residents shouldn't need to become planning whizzes to install double glazing in their homes. Most people have enough to be getting on with - without their local council getting in the way of going green.
“This order is all about making it easier for residents to do the right thing – and it means local people can make their homes warmer and more energy efficient, so long as they meet a small number of conditions to protect the local area.
"Last year, 79 of 85 applications for changes to windows were granted in K&C, so it is a no-brainer to look at how we can simplify the process - giving residents more certainty and cutting unnecessary bureaucracy.”
Help with greening your home
You can read the Local Development Order for replacement windows in residential properties in full online.
Find out more about how best to make adaptations to make your home greener, more energy efficient and climate resilient in pages on sustainable retrofitting, where you can find householder guides about windows, solar panels, flood adaptation and solar shading.
The order will not apply to listed buildings. Listed building owners should consult the Council’s Local Listed Building Consent Order for windows works.