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Do I need Planning Permission?

Type of work	Planning Permission needed?	Remarks
House extensions	An extension or addition to your house is considered to be permitted development, not requiring an application for planning permission, subject to the following limits and conditions: No more than half the area of land around the 'original house' would be covered by additions or other buildings. No extension forward of the principal elevation or side elevation fronting a highway. No extension to be higher than the highest part of the roof. Single-storey rear extension must not extend beyond the rear wall of the 'original house' by more than three metres if an attached house or by four metres if a detached house. Maximum height of a single-storey rear extension of four metres. Maximum depth of a rear extension of more than one storey of three metres beyond the rear wall of the 'original house' including ground floor. Maximum eaves height of an extension within two metres of the boundary of three metres, Maximum eaves and ridge height of extension no higher than existing house. Side extensions to be single storey with maximum height of four metres and width no more than half that of the original house. Two-storey extensions no closer than seven metres to rear boundary. Roof pitch of extensions higher than one storey to match existing house. Materials to be similar in appearance to the existing house. No verandas, balconies or raised platforms. Upper-floor, side-facing windows to be obscure-glazed; any opening to be 1.7m above the floor. On designated land: no permitted development for rear extensions of more than one storey, no cladding of the exterior, no side extensions.	(1)Building Regulations apply(2)The permitted development allowances described in column 2 apply to houses, but not flats, maisonettes or other buildings. View guidance on flats and maisonettes here.
Loft conversion	Planning permission is not normally required. However, permission is required where you extend or alter the roof space and it exceeds specified limits and conditions. Under new regulations that came into effect from 1 October 2008 a loft conversion for your house is considered to be permitted development, not requiring an application for planning permission, subject to the following limits and conditions: A volume allowance of 40 cubic metres additional roof space for terraced houses A volume allowance of 50 cubic metres additional roof space for detached and semi-detached houses No extension beyond the plane of the existing roof slope of the principal elevation that fronts the highway No extension to be higher than the highest part of the roof Materials to be similar in appearance to the existing house No verandas, balconies or raised platforms Side-facing windows to be obscure-glazed; any opening to be 1.7m above the floor Roof extensions not to be permitted development in designated areas Roof extensions, apart from hip to gable ones, to be set back, as far as practicable, at least 20cm from the eaves	(1)Building Regulations apply(2)Any previous roof space additions must be included within the volume allowances listed above(3)The permitted development allowances described in column 2 apply to houses, but not flats, maisonettes or other buildings. View guidance on flats and maisonettes here.
Basements	Converting an existing residential cellar or basement into a living space is in most cases unlikely to require planning permission as long as it is not a separate unit or unless the usage is significantly changed or a light well is added, which alters the external appearance of the property. Excavating to create a new basement which involves major works, a new separate unit of accommodation and/or alters the external appearance of the house, such as adding a light well, is likely to require planning permission. If you live in a listed building you are likely to need consent for internal or external work. In all circumstances you are advised to contact your Local Planning Authority for guidance on local policy before starting any work.	(1)Building Regulations apply(2)Underpinning and foundation work may also be needed.(3)You must also consider the Party Wall Act 1996 if other properties adjoin yours and you share walls.
Conservatories	Adding a conservatory to your house is considered to be permitted development, not needing an application for planning permission, subject to the limits and conditions for house extension (avove). Contact your local authority for more details	Where work is proposed to a listed building, listed building consent may be required.
Roof	Planning permission to re-roof your house or to insert roof lights or skylights generally not needed, subject to the following limits and conditions: Any alteration to project no more than 150 millimetres from the existing roof plane. No alteration to be higher than the highest part of the roof. Side facing windows to be obscure-glazed; any opening to be 1.7m above the floor. The permitted development regime for solar panels has different limits on projections and in relation to protected areas.	(1)For repairs or re-cover less than 25 per cent of the area of a pitch or flat roof, building regulations application not normally needed(2) Building regulations application needed for structural alterations, new insulation
Outbuildings (Sheds, greenhouses and garages, ancillary garden buildings such as swimming pools, ponds, sauna cabins, kennels, enclosures (including tennis courts) and other kinds of structure for a purpose incidental to the enjoyment of the dwellinghouse)	Planning permission is not normally required, subject to the following limits and conditions: No outbuilding on land forward of a wall forming the principal elevation. Outbuildings and garages to be single storey with maximum eaves height of 2.5 metres and maximum overall height of four metres with a dual pitched roof or three metres for any other roof. Maximum height of 2.5 metres in the case of a building, enclosure or container within two metres of a boundary of the curtilage of the dwellinghouse. No verandas, balconies or raised platforms. No more than half the area of land around the "original house" would be covered by additions or other buildings. In National Parks, the Broads, Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty and World Heritage Sites the maximum area to be covered by buildings, enclosures, containers and pools more than 20 metres from house to be limited to 10 square metres.	(1)On 'designated land' buildings, enclosures, containers and pools at the side of properties will require planning permission. (2)Within the curtilage of listed buildings any outbuilding will require planning permission.
External wall, Internal Wall	Planning permission is not normally required just like you would not need to apply for planning permission for repairs, maintenance or minor improvements, such as painting your house.	(1)If you live in a listed building, you will need listed building consent for any significant works whether internal or external.(2)If you live in a Conservation Area, a National Park, an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty or the Broads, you will need to apply for planning permission before cladding the outside of your house with stone, artificial stone, pebble dash, render, timber, plastic or tiles.
Demolition	Planning permission is not normally required, unless the council has made an article 4 direction restricting the demolition or alterations you could normally carry out under permitted development rules. However, it does not automatically follow that you will get planning permission to build any replacement structure or to change the use of the site. Where demolition of any kind of residential property is proposed, the council may wish to agree the details of how you intend to carry out the demolition and how you propose to restore the site afterwards.	(1)Demolition work must also comply with the Construction (Design and Management) Regulations 1994 and a health and safety plan produced by the principal contractor(2)Demolition is dealt with under the Building Act 1984. Generally, it requires six weeks prior notice to be given to the Local Authority Building Control before demolition begins.
Kitchen/Bathrooms	Planning permission is generally not required unless it is part of a house extension. However, if your property is a listed building you should consult the Local Planning Authority.	Work to refit a kitchen or bathroom with new units and fittings does not generally require building regulations approval, although drainage or electrical works that form part of the refit may require approval under the building regulations.
Patios/Driveways	Planning permission is generally not required .Generally, there are no restrictions on the area of land which you can cover with hard surfaces at, or near, ground level. However, significant works of embanking or terracing to support a hard surface might need a planning application. If you live in a listed building, you will need listed building consent for any significant works whether internal or external.
Paving Front Graden	Planning permission is generally not required if a new or replacement driveway of any size uses permeable (or porous) surfacing which allows water to drain through, such as gravel, permeable concrete block paving or porous asphalt, or if the rainwater is directed to a lawn or border to drain naturally.	If the surface to be covered is more than five square metres planning permission will be needed for laying traditional, impermeable driveways that do not provide for the water to run to a permeable area.
Additional notes to the above: (1)'Designated land' includes national parks and the Broads, Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty, conservation areas and World Heritage Sites (2)Where work is proposed to a listed building, listed building consent may be required. (3)The term "original house" means the house as it was first built or as it stood on 1 July 1948 (if it was built before that date). Although you may not have built an extension to the house, a previous owner may have done so. (4)If you are unsure about whether you are required to comply, you may wish to contact your local Building Control body. (5) It is always recommended that you contact the respective local Authority to verify Planning Permission and Building Control applications are needed for your proposed works.
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