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A wide range of work can be done to renovate a property without having to seek full planning consent. Typical pre-approved projects include recladding, updating windows and doors, internal changes, installing solar panels, some types of house extension, and changes to hard and soft landscaping in the garden or driveway. However, there are special circumstances where any or all of these might still need full permission or other consents.
It’s key to seek early advice on the correct approach from your architect or planning consultant, and to potentially refine and confirm this through a pre-application process with the council before finalising the design and starting your project. Factoring in time now will minimise uncertainty and ensure your finished renovation can be enjoyed for years to come.
In this guide I’m looking at when you need formal planning permission for a renovation and when you might be able to make use of permitted development (PD) rights.
There are many different occasions and circumstances where renovation projects may fall under permitted development rights. The provisions can offer significant opportunities for upgrades and improvements to be undertaken to your home, without the uncertainty of going through a potentially lengthy planning application.
Generally, if you want to alter the interior of a property – moving or taking out walls, upgrading a bathroom, replacing a kitchen, repainting or redecorating – these types of works which won’t require planning permission. Where PD rights really come into play is if you want to alter the exterior of your property in some way.
Mulroy Architects made use of permitted development rights (PD) when designing this dormer loft conversion and rear extension for a family home in Muswell Hill. Photo: Dan Glasser
If you do have PD rights, however, there is lots of potential for your refurbishment using this approach. One of the most significant areas is extensions. For instance, you can build both ground and first floor additions without planning consent, up to certain predefined sizes. You could also double-up, building a large single-storey rear extension, perhaps with a more modest first floor addition on top.
If you wanted the depth of the two zones to be equal, however, you might need planning permission to achieve this. Another option is to create a single-storey extension to the side of your home, up to half the width of the original house, subject to the distance from the boundary of the site.
23 projects you can without planning permission
There are some circumstances where you may need certain permissions, even for very minor or internal changes. If your property has heritage value, the rules will generally be more strict. If it is a listed building, you will always need listed building consent (LBC) for any works, internal or external. Likewise, if your house is newly permitted and not completed, don’t assume you can start making changes to the layout – you’ll need to update the original drawings and apply for an amendment to the approved plans.
Nicole and David Price renovated and extended their listed Georgian house in North London. Initially, Nicole was keen on a wide modern glass extension going across the back of the building. But this was rejected by planners, who felt that the history of the three styles should be able to be read at the property’s rear. The final design features floor to ceiling sliding doors and three vertical slot windows, set between brick piers. Photo: French + Tye
If you’re looking to make use of PD rights, you will need to check whether or not these have been removed or previously used up. If they have, you’ll likely require formal consent for your project instead. Also remember that, even when you do have them, they relate to the original house – ie you can’t extend on a previous extension. Likewise, they won’t apply where a property has been converted from a previous use in the past – for example, if the property was a result of a barn or commercial conversion you should assume that you need to apply for full planning approval.
In a detached home, under PD you can convert up to 50m³ of loft space (less in a semi or terraced house) for habitable use, such as an en suite bedroom. You may also be able to include a dormer as part of this, to the rear of the property. In most cases, you can also install rooflights without permission.
complete LOFT CONVERSION GUIDE
As a rule, PD allows more flexibility for works at the back of a property than to the front. Outbuildings, for example, are allowed, but only if they are located to the rear of your home, on garden land that is within the curtilage of the dwelling. If you want to add a garden building to the front, you’ll need full planning permission.
Nicky and Gemma Kirk undertook an affordable renovation on a dated 1930s home. They added a new deck to the rear of the house, alongside a new timber-clad extension. Photo: Agnese Sanvito
Your renovation plans might include laying an area of decking to enhance the garden zone. This does not require planning permission as long as it’s no more than 30cm above the ground and (alongside extensions, outbuildings etc) covers no more than 50% of the garden area. You can also replace garden walls and fences provided that they will be no more than 2m in height (or up to 1m next to the highway).
When you are undertaking a renovation project, you may be thinking about the other works you could undertake to improve your house’s kerb appeal. These might include, recladding or changing existing window frames and window openings, for example. Generally, you are able to reclad or reface a property without the need for full planning permission, provided that the materials you are looking to use are similar to the existing or are generally in keeping with the aesthetic of the local area.
James and Corinne Stevens’ stunning reinvention of this 1930s home has made it fit for 21st-century family life. They upgraded the house’s front elevation with a new brick slip-clad facade, which features a limewash finish. Photo: French & Tye
There is no firm definition of what constitutes something being similar. Whether your proposed change is acceptable is therefore a matter of local interpretation and may depend on how sensitive the area is in terms of character and visual appearance. For example, in a location where the look and materiality of houses is quite varied, there might be more scope for change than in an area where the houses all look alike. This can be the case where there are local heritage considerations, particularly if your property is in a conservation area, where it’s best to assume that you’ll need permission.
Windows can usually be replaced like for like, but always check what is allowed if you are planning on putting in new openings. Also, assume that any new doors will need planning permission. If you are replacing bay windows to the front of your property, you will also need approval before you start making any changes.
As I have mentioned, there are many circumstances in which you can make considerable changes and enhancements to your home through PD, without the need for planning permission. Even when you have these rights, it is always advisable to seek a certificate of lawfulness from the council to confirm that the works you intend to carry out are acceptable and don’t need permission. This is particularly useful if you come to sell your property, as you will most likely be asked to prove the lawfulness of any previous changes made.
If you are not sure whether the renovation works you are looking to do fall under PD, your designer or a planning consultant will be able to guide you. The local council can also advise you on whether there is a reason PD may no longer apply to your property. This might be where they have been used up through previous works and extensions, or where the rights have been removed by the council through an Article 4 Direction. In this circumstance, even for renovation works which might otherwise fall within the scale and scope of PD, you will need to apply for planning permission for your project.
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