HomeDo you need planning permission?
Do I need planning permission?
Often not. Most single storey rear extensions and most garage conversions fall under permitted development, which is a set of rights you already have. Here is the difference between the three things people mix up.
Three different things, and only one is planning permission
This is where most of the confusion starts:
- Permitted development. Rights you already have to extend within set limits on depth, height and how much of the garden you cover. No application to approve, though a Lawful Development Certificate is worth having as proof.
- Planning permission. A formal application to the council, needed when you go beyond those limits, or if you are in a conservation area, a listed building or a house where the rights have been removed.
- Building Regulations. Nothing to do with planning. It is about whether the work is structurally sound, insulated, safe and properly drained, and it applies to almost everything including work that needs no planning permission at all.
The things that most often catch people out
Flats and maisonettes have no permitted development rights. Neither do many new-build estates, where the rights are removed by condition. Conservation areas restrict what you can do to the front and the side. And if a previous owner already extended, they may have used up the allowance before you moved in.
How to find out for nothing
We come and look, for free, and tell you which of the three you are dealing with before you spend anything on drawings. We do this every week and we would rather tell you honestly that you need an application than let you find out after the money is spent.
Common questions
Do I always need planning permission for an extension?
It is not always necessary. Many extensions fall under permitted development rights. We can assess whether it is required during your initial free consultation.
Do I need planning permission for a garage conversion?
Usually not. Converting an integral or attached garage into living space normally falls under permitted development, because the footprint of the building does not change. It does still need Building Regulations approval, which is a separate process and one we handle.
How long does the planning process take?
A straightforward householder application is typically around eight weeks once it is validated, though it varies by council and by how busy they are. Permitted development needs no wait at all, which is one reason it is worth establishing which one you are dealing with early.
How long does an extension take to build?
Every project is different. From our initial consultation we can give you a good estimate of the time frame, and it goes in the written quote rather than being left open.
Want a proper price for it?
Tell us roughly what you are planning and Scott will come and look. The visit, the advice and the written quote are all free.
Read more about extensions in Hertfordshire.
