Planning permissions
and extensions - size matters between consenting
adults
If you are gripped by the current mania for home improvements, don't forget
to obtain the necessary building and planning consents before starting work.
The rules governing planning permission and consents are complex and home
improvers ignore them at their peril.
If you live in a conservation area, special rules apply to listed properties
and any alterations, whether inside or out, will require listed building
consent. You will also need planning permission if you want to divide off
part of your home for use as a separate entity or to build a parking space
for a commercial vehicle or taxi.
The same applies if you want to build something which goes against the terms
of the original planning permission for the property or the work might obstruct
the view of road users, or if it involves an addition or extension to a flat
or maisonette.
Neighbours are likely to be concerned about changes which might affect the
enjoyment of their property, especially if it is likely to deprive them of
light or spoil a view.
Building works which seriously overshadow a neighbour's window which has
been there for 20 years or more could affect their "right to light" and could
lay you open to legal action.
It is sometimes best to modify your plans in order to fit in with your
neighbours' wishes before applying for planning permission as your local
authority will consult them anyway.
You should also be aware of covenants or other restrictions in the title
to your property or conditions in the lease which may require you to get
someone else's agreement before carrying out certain kinds of work.
Certain environmental requirements such as energy conservation now apply
to new buildings while building over a sewer or drain will require planning
consent.
Extensions are more complicated. You will need to make a planning application
if an addition to your property makes it nearer to a highway than before,
unless there would be at least 20 metres between your house and the highway,
when extended.
The same applies if more than half the area of the land around your original
house would be covered by additions or other buildings. You will also need
to make a planning application if the extension or addition exceeds 115 cubic
metres.
Extensions that are higher than the highest part of the roof of the original
house or where any part of the extension is more than four metres high and
within two metres of the boundary of your property, will normally require
planning permission.
The same applies if you want to build an addition or extension to any roof
slope which faces a highway or where it would add more than 50 cubic metres
to the volume of the house or more than 40 cubic meters to a terraced house.
But lesser works such as the construction of conservatories, sun lounges,
balconies, verandahs, loft conversions, patios and dormer windows will normally
only require "general permission," rather than planning permission.
You can download copies of relevant regulations from the Office of the Deputy
Prime Minister's website, including Planning: A Guide for Householders and
Building Control regulations. You can find out more detail about any planning
restrictions in your own area from your local authority's website.
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NOT OBTAIN OUR MAXIMUM BUILD PLANNING
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 New simple to understand
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 Obtaining Planning Permission
for residential development in either extending your property or redeveloping
the site for new dwellings needs careful presentation & a risk assessment
prior to submitting for Planning Consent. A badly presented scheme to the
Planning Department by the Novice home owner can lead to an Automatic Rejection
& a Planning Refusal that could be hard to overturn. Our MAXIMUM BUILD
Guide will assist you in assessing your sites potential & what areas
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 click here
to find out more about our guide |
NEXT
STEP - THE BUILDING REGULATIONS - OBTAINING BUILDING CONTROL
APPROVAL
 To compliment our Planning
Guide we have also produced a UK specific Specification Manual solely aimed
at the domestic/residential side of building. Are you completing your
own drawing plans for the Building Regulations as well? Why not obtain our
'Specification Manual' to assist you with obtaining Building Regulations
Approval as well. Alternatively you may have already secured Planning
Approval & just need this document.
click
here to find out more about our Specification
Manual |
Please note that articles on this site do not constitute regulated
financial advice, which recommends a course of action based upon the specifics
of your personal circumstances. The articles are intended to provide general
personal financial information. We urge you to consult an Independent Financial
Adviser (IFA) before making any important decisions about your finances.
Call 0800 085 3250 for details of IFAs in your local area. Any statement
regarding financial services products and tax liability is based on legislation
and tax practices as at 1 January 2004, which is, of course, subject to
change.The value of any tax benefits or reliefs depends upon the individual
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Where products have an underlying investment content, in many cases the value
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there is no guarantee as to the level of bonuses that will be declared, if
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not available to people under the age of 18.
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