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The Government published new legislation in respect of the types of development that a householder can carry out without planning permission, which came into force on 1st October 2008. The Government has produced easy to use interactive guides to the new changes on the Planning Portal website. You can explore an interactive semi-detached house for advice on common householder projects, and an interactive terrace for advice on terraced houses, flats, shops and basements (Macromedia Flash is required to use these). The Planning Portal provides comprehensive information for householders, and you can check a list of common building projects to see if the works you are considering will need permission.
Extensions and Additions
Download a Self Assessment Form for House Extensions (701kb, PDF).
You need to apply for planning permission to extend or add to your house in the following circumstances:
- You live in a Conservation Area and you wish to extend at the side of your house, or construct an extension with more than one storey;
- Any part of the works are higher than the highest part of the roof of the existing house;
- The height of the eaves of the extension would be higher than the eaves of the existing house;
- Any part of the extension would project beyond a wall that fronts a highway and is either the principal front or a side elevation of the original house;
- Any extension within 2 metres of a boundary would have an eaves height that exceeds 3 metres;
- Any single storey extension would project more than 4 metres from the original rear wall of a detached house, or more than 3 metres for any other type of house, or exceed 4 metres in height;
- Any extension with more than one storey would project more than 3 metres from the original rear wall of any house, or be within 7 metres of any boundary opposite the rear wall of the house;
- Any side extension would exceed 4 metres in height, have more than one storey, or be wider than half the width of the original house;
- The size of all extensions and other buildings takes up more than 50% of the curtilage;
- It would consist of or include the construction of a veranda, balcony or raised platform (above 300mm high).
Development is permitted subject to :
- The use of matching external materials;
- Any upper floor windows being obscure glazed and non-opening (unless the opening parts of the window are more than 1.7 metres above floor level);
- Any extension with more than one storey having a roof pitch that, so far as practicable, matches the original house.
Note: The term ‘highway’ includes public roads, footpaths, bridleways and byways.
Extending and Altering the Roof
Download a Self Assessment Form for Dormer Windows and Roof Extensions (675kb, PDF).
You will need to apply for planning permission if:
- You live in a Conservation Area and you wish to extend the roof;
- The new works go higher than the existing roof;
- The works would involve a roof extension on a roof slope facing a highway, including a public path;
- The dormer window(s) or roof extensions, plus any previous extensions to the roof, would increase the size of the house by more than 40 cubic metres for a terraced house or 50 cubic metres for any other house;
- It would consist of or include the construction of a veranda, balcony or raised platform (above 300mm high);
Development is permitted subject to :
- The use of matching external materials;
- The edge of the eaves of the extension shall, so far as practicable, be more than 20cm from the eaves of the original roof (except for hip-to-gable extensions)
- Any window or roof light inserted on a side wall or side roof slope being obscure glazed and non-opening (unless the opening parts of the window are more than 1.7 metres above floor level).
Internal Alterations
Internal alterations do not require planning permission as they are not classed as development. This therefore means that permission is only required under the Building Regulations.
Porches
Download a Self Assessment Form for Porches (649kb, PDF).
You will need to apply for planning permission if:
- The ground area (measured externally) is more than 3 square metres;
- The porch would be higher than 3 metres above ground level;
- It would be less than 2 metres away from a road, footpath, bridleway or byway.
Inserting a Window
If the window projects beyond an existing wall (such as a bay window), this is treated as an extension and is subject to the same restrictions as Extensions and Additions. If the window you want to insert is an upper-floor window in the side elevation of the house then it must be obscure glazed and non-opening (unless the opening parts of the window are more than 1.7 metres above floor level).
Cladding
If you live in a Conservation Area, you will need to apply for planning permission before cladding the outside of your house with stone, tiles, artificial stone, plastic, timber, render or pebble dash.
Chimneys, flues, soil and vent pipes
Download a Self Assessment Form for Chimneys, Flue, Soil and Vent Pipes (649kb, PDF).
You need to apply for planning permission if the chimney, flue or soil and vent pipe would exceed the highest part of the roof by 1 metre or more. If you live in a Conservation Area you will also need to apply for permission if the proposal would be installed on a wall or roof slope that fronts a highway and is either the principal or a side elevation of the house.
Solar panels
Download a Self Assessment Form for Solar Energy Microgeneration Equipment (675kb, PDF).
Solar photovoltaic (PV) or solar thermal equipment can be installed on an existing wall, roof or building within the curtilage unless:
- The equipment would protrude more than 200mm beyond the plane of the wall or roof slope;
- The highest part would be above the highest part of the roof;
- You live in a Conservation Area and the equipment would be installed on a wall forming the principal or a side elevation of the house and would be visible from a highway;
- If you live in a Conservation Area and the equipment would be installed on a wall or building within the curtilage and would be visible from a highway;
- The equipment would be installed on a building within the curtilage of a Listed Building.
Stand alone solar PV or solar thermal equipment can be installed within the curtilage, but not on a building, unless:
- There would be more than one unit within the curtilage;
- Any part would exceed 4 metres in height above ground level;
- You live in a Conservation Area and the equipment would be visible from a highway;
- The equipment would be sited within 5 metres of the boundary;
- The equipment would be sited within the curtilage of a Listed Building;
- The surface area of the panels would exceed 9 square metres, or the equipment would exceed 3 metres in any dimension.
The installation of solar equipment meeting the above criteria is permitted subject to:
- The equipment shall be sited, so far as practicable, so as to minimise the visual impact on the building and the area;
- The equipment shall be removed when no longer needed.
Renewable Energy Microgeneration Equipment
Download a Self Assessment Form for Renewable Energy Microgeneration Equipment (706kb, PDF).
This form includes ground source heat pumps, water source heat pumps and flues for biomass heatin systems or combined heat and power systems.
Maintenance
You do not need to apply for planning permission:
- For repairs or maintenance, including minor improvements, such as painting your house or replacing windows;
- For internal alterations;
- To re-roof your house (however additions to the roof are treated as extensions).
Listed Buildings / Conservation Areas
You must apply for Listed Building consent if:
- You want to knock down all or part of a Listed Building;
- You want to alter or extend a Listed Building in a way that would affect its character.
- NB Alterations to the INTERIOR of a listed building are covered by this type of consent.
You must apply for Conservation Area consent if:
- You want to knock down a building (depending on its size), or wall or other means of enclosure that isn't Listed, but is in a Conservation Area and would have required planning permission to construct,
Good Design of Residential Extensions
If planning permission is required, advice on the good design of residential extensions and alterations can be found on the following link. This page gives general advice, together with advice on the Council's 45 Degree Code and Distance Separation Guidelines:
More Information
For more information regarding how to submit applications please go to Applying for Planning Permission. If you are in any doubt about whether you need to apply, you should consult the Development Control Section of the planning department.
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