Planning Permission for House extensions

Under new regulations that came into effect on 1 October 2008 any addition or extension to your home will be considered to be permitted development, not requiring an application for planning permission, when the addition or extension is within 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.
• Maximum depth of a single-storey rear extension of three metres for an attached house and four metres for 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 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.
• On designated land no cladding of the exterior.
• On designated land no side extensions.

* 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.

** Designated land includes National Parks and the Broads, Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty, Conservation Areas and World Heritage Sites.

Planning Permission for Porches
The planning rules for porches are applicable to any external door to the dwelling/house.

You need to apply for planning permission when -

• The ground floor area (measured externally) would exceed three square metres.
• Any part would be more than three metres above ground level (height needs to be measured in the same way as for a house extension).
• Any part of the porch would be within two metres of any boundary of the dwelling/house and the highway.

Planning Permission for Outbuildings

Rules governing outbuildings apply to sheds, greenhouses and garages as well as other ancillary garden buildings such as swimming pools, ponds, sauna cabins, kennels, enclosures (including tennis courts) and many other kinds of structure for a purpose incidental to the enjoyment of the dwelling house.

Other rules relate to the installation of a satellite dish, the erection of a new dwelling or the erection or provision of fuel storage tanks.

Under new regulations that came into effect on 1 October 2008 outbuildings are considered to be permitted development, not needing planning permission, subject to the following limits and conditions:

• No outbuilding forward of the principal elevation fronting a highway.
• 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 2.5 metres within two metres of a boundary.
• 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.
• On designated land** buildings, enclosures, containers and pools at the side of properties will require planning permission.
• Within the curtilage (the enclosed area of land around a dwelling) of listed buildings any outbuilding will require planning permission.

*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.

**Designated land includes National Parks and the Broads, Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty, conservation areas and World Heritage Sites.


Planning Permission For Loft Conversions.

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 home 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 for terraced houses.
• A volume allowance of 50 cubic metres 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.

*Designated areas include National Parks and the Broads, Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty, Conservation Areas and World Heritage Sites.


Planning Permission For Conservatories
Adding a conservatory to your home will be considered to be permitted development, not needing an application for planning permission, subject to the following limits and conditions:

• 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.
• Maximum depth of a single-storey rear extension of three metres for an attached house and four metres for 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 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.
• Roof pitch of extensions higher than one storey to match existing house.
• No verandas, balconies or raised platforms.
• On designated land** no permitted development for rear extensions of more than one storey; no cladding of the exterior; no side extensions.
• Where work is proposed to a listed building, listed building consent may be required.

** Designated land includes National Parks and the Broads, Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty, Conservation Areas and World Heritage Sites.

For absolute peace of mind, we would advise it is ALWAYS best practice to check with your council before carrying out any building work, even if you think you meet the above criteria and do not require planning permission. Article 4 Directions are occasionally issued by the Council in circumstances where specific control over development is required, primarily where the character of an area of acknowledged importance would be compromised.




For a more information regarding planning, please click here.









For an interactive visual guide to house extension planning, please click here.