Tower Hamlets Council has approved an updated Enlargements and Adaptations Policy, overhauling the previous framework from 1998 to meet modern standards for safety, sustainability, and equitable access. The updated policy aims to address concerns about the speed of processing applications by setting clear roles for officers and enabling more robust referral channels, such as through an application form, with a clear governance path for referrals.
The new policy, discussed at the Housing Management (Cabinet) Sub-Committee meeting on 5 November 2025, expands the scope beyond the original 1998 framework to include ground-floor extensions, vertical extensions, and internal modifications like additional toilets and reconfigured rooms. According to the council, this will allow families to grow within their existing homes.
Councillor Kabir Ahmed, Cabinet Member for Regeneration, Inclusive Development and Housebuilding, introduced the policy as a way of supporting residents.
He noted that the updated policy aligns with the Building Safety Act 2022 and the Equality Act 2010, and introduces clearer governance and referral pathways. The Enlargements and Adaptations Policy report pack also outlines specific training to be provided to council staff, including:
- Continuously reviewing the council's approach in line with statutory requirements and good practice
- Ensuring that all staff, contractors, and third-party referral agencies are aware of the approach to enlargements and adaptations
- Providing training for staff and contractors across several levels dependent on their responsibilities
- Ensuring that only competent contractors are engaged to carry out any works
- Providing specialist training for the Feasibility Project Team on structural feasibility assessment, fire safety considerations, and completion standards
- Providing training to housing officers on opportunity identification, overcrowding assessment criteria, and referral protocols
David Joyce, Corporate Director of Housing Regeneration, added that the policy exemplifies how the council can address overcrowding using its own housing stock. He also praised the real mindset shift
in making these adaptations happen.
The new policy includes:
- Enhanced building and fire safety protocols to comply with the Building Safety Act 2022.
- A monitoring and governance framework that refers cases to the Asset Investment Programme for final decisions. Funding for the programme will be part of the overall capital programme and annual budget setting process and reviewed in accordance with the programme timescales, according to the Enlargements and Adaptations Policy report pack.
- Referral channels including tenant referrals by the multi-agency support team, the voids team, and elected members.
According to the council, a targeted consultation was carried out with residents who had previously received enlargements or adaptations to their properties. One respondent, who is registered blind and had received a knock-through, said that the adaptation makes life so much easier
and rated the impact as 11 out of 10.
However, the same respondent noted that it took seven years to get a simple answer on whether the knock-through was possible and that the main improvement needed was to connect applicants with the right officers promptly.
To prioritize applications, the Enlargements and Adaptations Policy report pack states that overcrowded families seeking an adaptation or enlargement to their property must fulfill several criteria:
- Keeping to the terms of the tenancy agreement
- The tenants must have been occupying the property for a minimum of 3 years.
- The property must have become overcrowded due to factors outside the occupying residents' control, i.e., childbirth, children of different sexes in a shared bedroom becoming adults, or caring for an elderly relative.
The Housing Management Performance, Improvement & Compliance Board (HPIC) will receive yearly performance reports and be notified of any non-compliance issue identified, according to the Enlargements and Adaptations Policy report pack, to measure the success of the updated policy and ensure compliance is being achieved.
The Mayor in Housing Management Cabinet Sub Committee approved the Enlargement and Adaptions Policy within Appendix 1 and noted the Equalities Impact Assessment.
