Do I need Planning Permission?
Amedments to the permitted development regime for
householders
On the 1 October 2008 the
government will introduce changes to householder permitted
development.
The following
link is a copy of
the Town and Country Planning (General Permitted
Development)(Amendment)(No.2)(England) Order 2008. The Order
amends Part 1 of Schedule 2 to the Town and Country Planning
(General Permitted Development) Order 1995 (the GPDO) and will put
in place a new permitted development regime for householders.
The legislation
represents a significant change to the current system and will
supersede the current permitted development for householder
extensions and alterations, porches and outbuildings. For full
details of these changes please visit the planning portal website.
Information can be found under 'householder planning rules' in
the 'general public section' on the planning portal
website.
What needs planning permission?
Most kinds of development require
planning permission.
The term "development" is very
broad and could mean any of the following:
- Building work such as a house, factory, shop or
extension
- Changing the use of buildings or land (such as piding a house
into flats or using land for a different purpose, or running a
business from home)
- Erecting walls, fences or other structures
- Forming a new vehicle access
In addition, the Council’s consent
is usually required to alter a listed building, to demolish a
dwellinghouse or a building within a conservation area, to lop or
fell a tree within a conservation area or one subject to a
preservation order, or to display an advertisement.
Permitted Development
Some building works of a minor
nature can be carried out without the need to obtain planning
permission – these are generally referred to as "Permitted
Development". They are subject to the proposal meeting very strict
criteria, for example relating to size and detailed
positioning.
As the law relating to planning
permission is complex, and the rules governing "Permitted
Development" can change from time to time, you are strongly advised
to seek advice from the council before carrying out any development
to check whether permission is required for what you want to do.
You may also find that you need approval under the Building
Regulations or other legislation before starting work, even though
planning permission is not required.
Particular care must be taken if
the house is a listed building, within a conservation area,
affected by an Article 4 Direction, or is in the Area of
Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB). In these circumstances special
rules apply.
A short amount of time
spent obtaining advice can save a great deal of wasted time later -
see our advice page.
The Planning Portal
You can do some initial
investigation yourself by using the Planning Portal. Their
visual guide to planning permission for householders will provide
useful information.