Permitted Development Rights

When planning a property refurbishment project one of the first questions you must ask is whether your proposed development requires planning permission or not. Failure to obtain planning consent could delay or derail your plans.

In this quick guide we attempt to explain the level of development that can be carried out without planning permission. Developing a refurbishment strategy that makes the most of permitted development rights will take some of the uncertainty out of the process.

Do my improvements actually require planning consent?

Many home improvements do not require a planning application because they fall under what is known as permitted development rights (PD). These rights were extended in 2013. If you are new to refurbishment projects you should think about initially refurbishing houses where the permitted development rights have not been exhausted. It means that you have one less issue to think about, and ensures that you are not incurring mortgage or bridging interest costs while you wait nervously for planning consent.

N.B The level of work that can be carried out under PD depends on a variety of factors including location (areas of natural beauty and conservation areas have different rules), and the extent of work already carried out on a property. Unless you are experienced in these matters we would advise that you consult the duty-planning officer at your local planning office to confirm your findings.

It is always important to check exactly what PD rights exist for your property as these rights may have been used to some extent by a previous owner.

What improvements can I make under PD?     

• You can extend a detached property by up to 8m at the rear if it is a single storey. 3m if it is a double storey.
• A single Storey extension can be up to 4 m high to the ridge and eaves, but not higher than the existing building.
• PD extensions cannot go in front of the build line at the front of the property.
• It must be of the same or similar material to the rest of the building.
• 2m extensions should not be closer than 7m away from the rear boundary.
• Side extensions can be up to half the width of the building, single storey and no more than 4m in height.
• Build a porch 3m2 or less.
• Convert and occupy the loft space
• Install solar panels and satellite dishes.
• Put in roof lights and dormer windows (not facing the highway.
• An extension cannot cover more than half of the garden.
• The property footprint (including outbuildings) can be no more than 50% larger than the property footprint in 1948.

If you are looking for a property with unexhausted PD rights you can find them quickly at Repolist.