Do you need planning permission for a loft conversion?

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loft conversion

In most circumstances you will not need planning permission for a loft conversion, as the development will be covered by GPDO (permitted development). However, you should also check if your permitted development rights are restricted or have been removed (see below)*   Roof extension pictured above by Ben+Eoin, architect from Southwark, London. Click here to… Read more »

Conversions to a house without planning permission

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warehouse conversion

Under current planning legislation there are certain conversions to a house that fall under permitted development, meaning you can convert to a house without planning permission. They fall under GDPO (General Permitted Development) Order 1995, where a planning permission is not required. However, there are important exceptions to these rights, which are outlined below.  … Read more »

What are the minimum room sizes for a house?

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There are no universal space standards for homes in the UK nor are there universal minimum room sizes. Instead, there are regulations that exist for different circumstances and project types. In any home building or renovation project, the two main statutory obligations you will need to fulfil are planning permission and building regulations approval (building… Read more »

Permitted development for barn conversions (Class Q)

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barn conversion

Since 2014 barn conversions have benefitted from permitted development rights, meaning a full planning application is not required. For many, this has made barn conversions an attractive alternative to a new build. The main advantage here is speed and simplicity of gaining permission. There are other reasons that you might decide to opt for barn… Read more »

Do you need planning for a bungalow conversion?

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Converting a bungalow to a house A bungalow conversion to a house can involve some or all of the following work: adding an extra storey a loft conversion (within the existing roof space) a loft extension (e.g. adding dormers or changing roof shape) adding a basement below an existing bungalow. In addition to this, you… Read more »

New planning policy for brownfield sites

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What is the new planning policy for brownfield sites? An amendment to the Town and Country planning act (General Permitted Development) in 2020 has allowed development of new build houses to benefit from fast-track planning on small brownfield sites. The official published guidance states that the following criteria should apply: ‘Owners of vacant and redundant… Read more »

Do you need planning permission for a holiday let?

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planning permission for a holiday let

Do I need planning permission for a holiday let (change of use from a house to a holiday let)? In short, there is no definitive answer here and it depends on local planning regulations. Planning permission is required for a ‘material’ change of use, i.e if you are going from one use class to another…. Read more »

What are the new planning use classes?

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All buildings have a use class. The original Use Class Order 1987 has been recently updated in the Use Class Order 2020.   List of use classes There is no official list of use classes is therefore open to interpretation of the above legislation. There are sometimes disputes (and varies between local planning authority) about which… Read more »

Shop to residential conversion without planning permission

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shop to residential conversion

Good news, it is possible to convert a shop to residential use without needing planning permission. However, there are important exceptions where permitted development rights may not apply in your area or to your property.   Image above – Design by Anamaria, architectural designer from Southwark, London. Click here to see more and shortlist them… Read more »