Planning permission

Answer: Usually not for a single storey conservatory extension

Around 5% of conservatory extensions require planning permission. But there is a bit more to it than that so please take five minutes to read on.

1. Houses all have what’s called “ Permitted Development Rights “ ( unless those rights have been removed, which occasionally happens). Please check your deeds or call the local planning department which is part of the council and check if you have or don’t have “ Permitted Development Rights “, the planning dpt have a database on this subject.

2. If you don’t have them because they have been removed YOU MUST APPLY FOR PLANNING PERMISSION, or we can do that for you through our drawing office- before building starts.

3. If you do have them as is mostly the case, then read each point below and work out your plan for your conservatory within these rules. Any conservatory without with these rules must be submitted for planning permission. As you will see below, a semi/terraced house can basically project out to a depth of 3 metres and a detached house to a depth of 4 metres but there is a bit more to it than that. If you have “ Permitted Development Rights “ on your property and you stick to these rules – you do not need planning permission.

4. PLEASE note that if planning permission is required then only the council’s planning dpt can decide on that, we can’t nor can anyone else – fact.

From 1st October 2008 an extension or addition to your home will be considered to be permitted development, not requiring an application for planning permission, subject to the following limits and conditions:

• 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 the 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 1st of 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.