Adding a Conservatory – Do I Need Planning Permission?
There are a range of different developments that require planning permission from the local planning authority. One type of planning is the improvement of current buildings. This can be further qualified as the extension or enlargement of a dwelling house. Whether or not you require planning permission to make these alterations depends of the size and scope of the alteration, your current home, and where your home is situated.
Building a one-storey conservatory extension to your home does not normally require planning permission - with a number of caveats. The permitted development of a conservatory applies to houses, not flats, commercial buildings, maisonettes or other types of buildings. You may need to check with your local planning office to ascertain which type of home you currently live in. You should also check whether your home is a listed building - if your home is old or has historical significance then making structural changes to it may not be allowed. This can extend to an entire area - if you live within a conservation zone then there will be certain things you will not be allowed to build, usually including a visible conservatory.
Many locations have the provision that you will not have pebble dash, artificial stone, render, timber or tiles on the exterior of your dwelling. This includes a conservatory. Conservatories cannot be larger than 50% of the land around the original house. This includes any extensions that have previously been made, and extensions that previous owners added to the house. You must also include any sheds or outbuildings when making this calculation.
If you are building a side conservatory, it must not be wider than half of the original width of the house. A side conservatory must be only single story, and not exceed four metres in height. If the conservatory is within two metres of a boundary, the eaves should be less than three metres in height to be automatically permitted development.
These are just the main rules governing the addition of a conservatory to a home. In general, common sense will prevail, and sensible conservatories that do not cause problems for neighbors will be well within these bounds. It is also possible to get planning permission for buildings that do not fall within this scope. However, to ensure one is creating an extension that is legal, a planning permission solicitor should be consulted with.
Building a one-storey conservatory extension to your home does not normally require planning permission - with a number of caveats. The permitted development of a conservatory applies to houses, not flats, commercial buildings, maisonettes or other types of buildings. You may need to check with your local planning office to ascertain which type of home you currently live in. You should also check whether your home is a listed building - if your home is old or has historical significance then making structural changes to it may not be allowed. This can extend to an entire area - if you live within a conservation zone then there will be certain things you will not be allowed to build, usually including a visible conservatory.
Many locations have the provision that you will not have pebble dash, artificial stone, render, timber or tiles on the exterior of your dwelling. This includes a conservatory. Conservatories cannot be larger than 50% of the land around the original house. This includes any extensions that have previously been made, and extensions that previous owners added to the house. You must also include any sheds or outbuildings when making this calculation.
If you are building a side conservatory, it must not be wider than half of the original width of the house. A side conservatory must be only single story, and not exceed four metres in height. If the conservatory is within two metres of a boundary, the eaves should be less than three metres in height to be automatically permitted development.
These are just the main rules governing the addition of a conservatory to a home. In general, common sense will prevail, and sensible conservatories that do not cause problems for neighbors will be well within these bounds. It is also possible to get planning permission for buildings that do not fall within this scope. However, to ensure one is creating an extension that is legal, a planning permission solicitor should be consulted with.