Planning Permission Applications ...

What is Planning Permission?

Planning permission is the requirement to obtain consent to undertake certain works to your property or upon your land. Here are some common examples where you would need to apply for planning permission:

adding or extending a flat or maisonette, including those converted from houses
dividing off part of your house for use as a separate home (for example, a self-contained flat or bed-sit)
using a building or caravan in your garden as a separate residence for someone else
building a separate house in your garden
dividing off part of your home for business or commercial use (for example, a workshop) or building a parking place for a commercial vehicle
building something which goes against the terms of the original planning permission for your house (for example, a planning condition may have been imposed to stop you putting up a fence in the front garden because the house is on an ''open plan'' estate)
work you want to do might obstruct the view of road users
work would involve a new or wider access to a trunk or classified road

What is Permitted Development?

As of the 1st October 2008 an extension or addition to your home 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.
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.

When do Building Control / Listed Building Applications Apply?

Building Control approval is required when you undertake structural alterations, extensions to your property or construct a new property.

Depending on the size and nature of the project there are two main types of application that can be made. For small works, including most extensions, a Building Notice can be submitted which will enable you to commence work after three days. The council will still have to inspect the work at the required stages but will not check the proposed scheme before you start work. A Full Plans application, which can take up to five weeks to receive approval, will have to be made on larger projects but has the advantage of being fully checked by the council with any required amendments/additions being made before works commence. Both types of application cost the same but with the Building Notice you pay the whole council fee upfront but with the Full Plans application you pay the application fee first then the inspection fee upon commencement of the work.

Listed buildings consent has to gained when work to a property is proposed that is either listed or within a conservation area. Listed buildings are considered to be of special architectural or historic interest and as a result require special protection. Listing protects the whole building, both inside and out and possibly also adjacent buildings if they were erected before 1st July 1948. The prime purpose is to protect the building and its surroundings from changes which will materially alter the special historic or architectural importance of the building or its setting. In England the list of buildings is prepared by English Heritage and the Department of Culture, Media and Sport and properties are scheduled into one of three grades: Grade I; Grade II* and Grade II with Grade I being the highest grade.

A Conservation area is an area of special architectural or historic interest, the character or appearance of which it is desirable to preserve or enhance.