When you need planning permission

If you’re planning to increase your living space – by building an extension, converting your loft or adding a garden room, for example – you may need planning permission.

However, many of the building projects or renovations you’re likely to want to do are allowed without it. These tend to be ones that won’t have a big impact on your neighbours or the area.

What is planning permission?

Planning permission is approval from your local authority to make changes to a building or build something new.

Its purpose is to make sure that your proposed project is in line with local planning policy and doesn’t impact the area negatively.

The planning systems in England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland vary so you should make sure you’re aware of how it works where you live. This guide mainly covers England.

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When do you need planning permission?

You usually need planning permission if:

• You’re building something from scratch, such as a new house. However, you should buy land for sale with planning permission already in place if you’re buying land to build on. It should have at least outline planning permission, which says the land can be built on in principle

• You want to make a major change to your home, such as adding a large extension

• You want to change the use of a building, although some changes are allowed without planning permission

If you don’t get planning permission for something that requires it and you go ahead with your project, you could be asked to demolish or reverse the work and apply for planning permission retrospectively.

And there’s no guarantee that it would be granted, so you could still be asked to put the building back to how it was before the work was done.

Some building work is allowed without planning permission if it falls under what is known as permitted development rights. You’ll need planning permission for anything outside of these.

Permitted development rights are granted by the government rather than the local authority. They let you carry out work that will have a minimal impact on your neighbours and the local area so there are detailed rules limiting what you can do.

These rights don’t apply to flats or maisonettes, or in protected parts of the country such as conservation areas, national parks, areas of outstanding natural beauty and world heritage sites.

There are stricter planning permission rules for listed buildings, so you should always check with your local authority whether you need planning permission to carry out work on one. You’ll also usually need listed building consent.

Extensions

Situations in which you’ll need planning permission for an extension include if you want to build one that:

• Takes up more than 50% of the garden

• Is higher than the highest part of the roof of the existing house

• Has eaves that are higher than those of the existing house

• Extends beyond the front wall of the house or is further forward than the side wall if it faces a highway

• Is a single-storey extension that extends more than eight metres from the back wall if it’s a detached house, or six metres if it’s a semi-detached or terraced house. If it extends more than four metres or three metres respectively, you must notify the local authority and your neighbours will be consulted

• Is a single-storey extension higher than four metres

• Is a side extension with more than one storey that extends beyond the back wall by more than three metres, or is within seven metres of the rear boundary of your garden

• Is a side extension within two metres of the boundary with eaves higher than three metres

• Is a side extension with more than one storey, higher than four metres or more than half the width of the original house

• Has a veranda, balcony or raised platform

• Uses materials that make it look different to the original house

• Wraps around your house

Loft conversions

You’ll need planning permission for a loft conversion if you want it to:

• Have a dormer on the front of the roof

• Be higher than the highest point of the existing roof

• Increase the volume of the roof by more than 50 cubic metres if you have a detached or semi-detached house, or 40 cubic metres if you have a terraced house

• Have a dormer set back less than 20cm from the eaves

• Have a staircase to it with less than two metres of head height clearance

• Have a balcony or veranda

• Have roof tiles or windows that don’t match the existing ones

• Have a new side window that isn’t frosted or has opening parts less than 1.7m from the floor

Garage conversions

Planning permission is needed for work on your garage if:

• You’re converting it into a separate dwelling

• You’re increasing its size

Porches and external rooms

If you’re building a porch, you’ll need planning permission if you want it to:

• Have a footprint larger than three square metres

• Be higher than three metres

• Be less than two metres from the front boundary of your property or the road

To build an external room or building, such as a garden room, summer house or shed, you’ll need planning permission if it will:

• Be further forward than the front wall of your house

• Have a dual pitched roof and be higher than four metres, or have another type of roof and be higher than three metres

• Have any part of its roof higher than three metres if its within two metres of the boundary of your neighbour’s property

• Have a footprint of more than half that of your original house

• Have a veranda or raised platform higher than 0.3 metres

What building does not need planning permission?

You won’t need planning permission for an extension, loft conversion, porch or new external room if none of the above apply to it as it will be covered by permitted development rights.

For other projects, in general, anything that doesn’t increase your living space, or the footprint of your house or the buildings on your land, by a significant amount doesn’t need planning permission. However, if you’re in any doubt you should always check with your local authority.

You don’t usually need permission to do work to the exterior of your house, such as renewing the render, as long as its appearance will be similar once it’s done.

Converting a building from business to residential use can also often be done without permission but you still need approval from the local authority and to meet certain criteria.

You can find out more about planning permission rules and see what’s allowed under permitted development rights for a wide range of projects on the Planning Portal.

It’s important to note that even if you don’t need planning permission, you still usually need building regulations – also known as building control – approval when you’re altering or extending a building, or constructing a new one. You can apply to your local authority or through a private approved inspector. Find out more on Gov.uk.

You may also need a party wall agreement if the work could affect a wall you share with your neighbours.

How to get planning permission

It’s best to apply online through the Planning Portal. You can apply to your local authority by post but the process is likely to take longer.

To get planning permission you’ll need to take the following steps:

1. Check whether you need planning permission

Before you apply for planning permission, it’s a good idea to check with your local authority whether you actually need it. You’ll find lots of information on its website, including how to contact it. You can also view historical planning applications to get a better idea of what you might get approval for.

2. Apply online through the Planning Portal

You’ll need to fill in a form and submit plans of the building work you want to do plus any other supporting documents that are required. You’ll also need to pay a fee. You may also need to apply for building regulations approval.

3. Wait for a decision or feedback

Once the local authority has received your application, it will assess it and let you know its decision. It may give you feedback on any changes you need to make for your application to be allowed. If you’re turned down or object to the amendments you’re asked for, you can appeal.

How long does it take to get planning permission?

It usually takes up to eight weeks to get a decision but could take up to 13 weeks if your application is complex or for a particularly big project.

How much does planning permission cost?

Below you can see how much it costs to get different types of planning permission in England, Wales and Scotland.

Source: www.checkatrade.com/blog/cost-guides/planning-permission-cost/

How long does planning permission last?

Once it’s granted, planning permission usually lasts for three years. If you don’t start the work within this period, you may have to apply for it again.

Why might I be refused planning permission?

If you’re turned down for planning permission it will usually be because the local authority thinks your building project will have a negative effect on your neighbours, the area or the building.

For example, it could result in your neighbours losing privacy, put pressure on parking or change the character of the area. You could also be refused if your application is incomplete.

Your local authority must give you written reasons why you’ve been refused. You may be able to get your application approved by modifying your plans and resubmitting it.