No planning permission required

The pandemic has prompted many of us to consider whether we should move or improve, in order to help us adjust to our new lifestyle choices. Some people are doing both – they are improving their property to make it more appealing to today’s buyers, thereby increasing its saleability and hopefully its price.

Most changes that make a difference are more than cosmetic and usually involve adding size/space to existing accommodation. Generally speaking, anything “structural” such as building, or knocking through a wall will usually be subject to building regulation inspection. However, not all “major” improvements require planning permission (PP), as long as you stick to the rules.  Here’s a quick overview:

Porch

Depending on where your front door is situated, you shouldn’t need to apply for PP. The porch floor area should be no more than three square metres and no more than three metres above the ground, with no part being less than two metres from any boundary.  But don’t be tempted to bring the existing front door out to the porch, as the porch would then be regarded as part of the property and it may then require PP.

Conservatory

A conservatory should cover less than fifty percent of the garden and be higher than the highest point of the roof, or four metres for single storey buildings.

Summerhouse, Outdoor Office, Garage or Shed

Not only no PP, but no requirement here for building regs either, as long as the building is less than 15sqm and the building is not used for sleeping accommodation. You may not need PP for up to 30sqm depending on the local authority, but building regulation approval would in that case still be required.

Loft Conversion

Unless you live in a designated area, loft conversions do not generally need PP as long as the conversion is no higher than the highest part of the existing roof and made of a similar materials. You can add up to 40m² of additional roof space to a terraced house and up to 50cm² a detached/semi-detached house.

You could just extend your property, which may come under “Permitted Development” which has a different set of regulations which we’ll consider in a future article. In the meantime, if you’d like any free advice as to how any improvement might affect the value of your home, please feel free to contact us on 01323 440678.