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Q&As
How Rigid is Planning Permission?
Say for example you have a rough design in mind for a house, do you have to find land with planning permission for a design closely matching that, or would you get something roughly similar and then reapply with your design?
One Answer
Hi Curtis,
Where a plot has a detailed planning permission for something similar to your design ideas, it is likely that you’ll get permission for minor amendments to the permitted scheme to bring it in line with your ideal design.
If there’s a detailed permission for something quite different, you’d need to look closely at the application to see why that design was chosen. Even then, you might need to seek pre-application advice to determine if the council might approve a more radical change of design.
Bear in mind that many plots are sold with outline permission, so there’s no fixed design on the table.
As a rule though, it’s best not to pin down design ideas too far until you find a suitable plot. The design can then be shaped to suit the plot and its surroundings, and as a result, vastly improve the chances of gaining planning permission.
Mike Dade (Build It Planning Expert)