10 Home Alterations That Don’t Require Planning Permission

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When making significant changes to your home you will often require planning permission from your local planning authority (LPA). The “Permitted Development Rights” allow homeowners to make certain minor alterations to their homes without needing planning permission.

Sheds

You are permitted to build as many sheds and other outbuildings on your property as long as the following restrictions:

It cannot protrude in front of the building line of the main house
Cannot have a dual pitch roof higher than 4 metres, other types of roof higher than 3 metres or a roof higher than 2.5 metres while being within 2 metres of the boundaries of the plot.
Must only consist of one storey
The intended purpose must be for an incidental function or a recreational area. You will need planning permission if you want to build a room for example.

Internal remodelling

As long as you are not increasing the size of the external structure of your house you will usually be able to make alterations to the interior of your home without planning permission.

However, you might have to adhere to Building Regulations regarding electrical safety and structural integrity.

Porch

As long as you are following these dimensions you will not require planning permission when building a porch:

Area of 3 squared metres or less.
Height does not exceed 3 metres.
Minimum 2 metres away from any boundary near a highway.

Doors & Windows

Unless your home is listed or there are any stipulations in the planning permissions, you will not need

planning permission for changes involving doors and windows. Certain Building Regulations must be followed for certain sizes of doors and windows.

One & Two Storey Extensions

These types of extensions can be built as long as the following rules are followed:

The building materials need to be the same as the rest of the building.
The extension should not surpass the principal elevation.
Eves cannot be higher than 4 metres (or 3 metres if less than 2 metres from a boundary)

Other rules apply to specific types of extensions:

Side Extensions: width cannot exceed half the width of the existing building and cannot be built if the building is on an area such as a conservation area.
Rear Extensions: depth cannot surpass 4 metres if added to a detached house or 3 metres in the case of semi-detached and terraced houses
Two-Storey Extensions: depth cannot surpass 3 metres and must not be within 7 metres of the property’s rear boundary.

Converting Two Properties Into One

If you have two neighbouring properties and you want to connect them you will not require planning permission. This is not the case for dividing a property into two as you will need planning permission in that case.

Swimming Pools

As long as your outdoor swimming pool does not take up more than half of your gardens area you will not require planning permission.

Fences, Gates and Garden Walls

You will not require planning permission if the following conditions are met:

Cannot exceed 2 metres, and in the case that it is next to a highway used by vehicles it cannot exceed 1 metre.
No part of your area is a listed building or in the curtilage of a listed building. None of your boundaries should be with a neighbouring listed building
A planning condition does not allow you to build fenced, gates or walls.

Garden Decking

You will usually not need a planning position for outdoor decking-type structures. However, the decking cannot be over 0.3 metres overground. You should also research specific Garden decking rules that might apply.

Garage and Extension Conversions

Turning a garage, or another existing extension of your property, into a habitable room is permissible if the current footprint of the property is not changed.

We hope this post has helped you, if you have any questions or would like to further inform yourself on home alterations do not hesitate to contact us.