Permitted Development Explained

You can make certain minor changes to your house without the need to apply for planning permission to your local authority.  These are called ‘Permitted Development Rights’ and are explained in our handy guides

If you feel the work you would like to carryout on your property does fall within your permitted development rights APT Design Services always advise the need to apply to your local authority for a ‘Certificate of Lawful Development’.

 If you want to be certain that the existing use of a building is lawful for planning purposes or that your proposal does not require planning permission you can apply for a 'Lawful Development Certificate' (LDC) explained in our handy guides.

It is not compulsory to have an lawful development certificate but there may be times when you need one to confirm that the use, operation or activity named in it is lawful for planning control purposes.

Also when selling a property having proof that an extension did not need planning permission can save a lot of wasted time and money in proving this.

If what you propose does not require you to extend the overall footprint of the dwelling, Permitted Development (PD) allows you to carry out the work without obtaining full planning permission. You will, however, need to follow Building Regulations guidance for some aspects such as structural elements and electrical works.  

You do not normally need planning permission to replace or add new windows in the original walls of your house, but you may need permission if conditions were attached to the original permission.

Double glazing can be installed under PD, providing the building is not listed.

There are certain limitations with side windows, see our handy guides or contact us for more information.

 Planning permission is not usually required for garage conversions, providing the work is internal and does not involve enlarging the building.

Sometimes permitted development rights have been removed from some properties with regard to garage conversions particularly if you live on a new housing development or in a conservation area. Also, local authorities do have parking standards for housing and do have reservations on removing parking spaces in certain situations.

Where work is proposed to a listed building, listed building consent may be required, see our handy guides or contact us for more information.

You can build various single storey extensions including conservatories without planning permission, providing the extension accords with the certain conditions, see our handy guides or contact us for more information.

Alterations can be made to the roof of a dwelling under permitted development. However rooflights are not permitted under PD where they would extend forward of the roof plane on the elevation fronting a highway, they are permitted providing they do not project more than 15cm from the roof slope. Rooflights are not permitted on a dwelling which is located in a Conservation Area or an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. 

A loft conversion for your house 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 additional roof space for terraced houses
• A volume allowance of 50 cubic metres additional roof space 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 are not to be permitted development in conservation area, national parks or areas of outstanding natural beauty.
• Roof extensions, apart from hip to gable ones, to be set back, as far as practicable, at least 20cm from the original eaves
• The roof enlargement cannot overhang the outer face of the wall of the original house.

See our handy guides or contact us for more information.

A two-storey extension can only be built under PD if it is at the rear of the dwelling, this includes the addition of a second storey onto an existing single storey part of the house, and can only extend beyond the rear wall of the original dwelling by a maximum of 3 metres.  A two storey rear extension is also not permitted within 7 metres of any boundary of the curtilage of the dwelling opposite the rear wall of the dwelling.  See our handy guides or contact us for more information.

Outbuildings are a clever way to add extra space without the need for planning permission, where you have a larger plot, there may be opportunities to build multiple outbuildings under permitted development, providing the total area covered by such buildings/enclosures does not exceed 50% of the total area of the curtilage. This 50% should take into account any extensions, but not the area covered by the main house.

Outbuildings cannot sit forward of the principal elevation, and there are height restrictions depending on the type of roof (4m for dual pitch roofs, 3m for other roofs, and 2.5m when the building is within 2m of the boundary). Outbuildings may only be single storey, with the maximum eaves height remaining at 2.5m.

A key factor to bear in mind when considering what you want to achieve from an outbuilding is that the use should be ‘incidental’ to that of the dwelling, e.g. gym, garage, store. Outbuildings under PD cannot be used for residential accommodation, e.g. bedrooms.

See our handy guides or contact us for more information.

The planning rules for porches are applicable to any external door to the dwelling-house.  Adding a porch to any external door of your house is considered to be permitted development, not requiring an application for planning permission, provided:

• The ground floor area (measured externally) would not exceed three-square metres.
• No part would be more than three metres above ground level (height needs to be measured in the same way as for a house extension).
• No part of the porch would be within two metres of any boundary of the dwelling-house and the highway.

See our handy guides or contact us for more information.

It’s worth knowing that Permitted Development facilitates the erection, construction, maintenance, improvement or alteration to a gate, fence, wall or other means of enclosure, providing such work accords with the following limitations:

• The height would not exceed 1m when adjacent to a highway
• The height would not exceed 2m for any other gate, fence etc
• Such development is not permitted under permitted development around a listed building

See our handy guides or contact us for more information.

Putting up decking, or other raised platforms, in your garden is permitted development, not needing an application for planning permission, providing:

• The decking is no more than 30cm above the ground
• Together with other extensions, outbuildings etc, the decking or platforms cover no more than 50 per cent of the garden area.

See our handy guides or contact us for more information.

When looking to enhance the enjoyment of your garden, what better way than to build swimming pool for the whole family to enjoy? Under Permitted Development rights you can build a pool within your garden, provided that the total area covered by the pool does not exceed 50% of the area of the garden curtilage. 

See our handy guides or contact us for more information.