Home Extensions - Useful Information.

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Will I Need Planning Permission for my Extension?

Planning consent may or may not be required for your proposed extension. Under the Permitted Development Rights system a large number of home extensions can be built without the requirement of planning permission.

• You can extend a detached dwelling by 8m to the rear if it’s single storey or 3m if it’s double.

• There are height restrictions. A single storey extension not being higher than 4m in height to the ridge and the eaves, and ridge heights of any extension not being higher than the existing property.

• Two storey extensions must not be closer than 7m to the rear boundary.

• It must be built in the same or similar material to the existing dwelling.

• Extensions must not go forward of the building line of the original dwelling.

• Side extensions must be single storey, maximum height of 4m and a width no more than half of the original building.

• In Designated Areas side extensions require planning permission and all rear extensions must be single storey.

• An extension must not result in more than half the garden being covered.

• You can only do it once and the original building is either as it was on 1st July 1948 or when it was built.

Your local authority has the power to remove Permitted Development Rights if it feels the character of the area wll be threatened by any new work. If in any doubt, you should check with your local authority planning department.

If you are doing an extension that will need planning permission, it is wise to pop into your local planning office to find out informally what might be permitted — especially if you are planning anything out of the ordinary. It is always wise to research the local planning policies so that you will be aware from the start that an uphill struggle awaits you if you plan anything too exotic in the area where your house is situated.

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Listed Buildings

All alterations to listed buildings, including internal ones, require consent and it is a criminal offence to alter a listed building without this consent. With a listed building the planners will always regard the existing property as more important than what you are proposing to add to it. Any extension will therefore have to respect the flavour, appearance and historic material used in the construction of the original house.

Depending on the size of the extension you propose, you might need planning permission as well as listed building consent to make your alterations.

 

Building Regulations

Regardless of whether your new extension does or does not require planning permission, it will need Building Regulations Approval. Building regulations are rules approved by Parliament laid down to ensure the minimum design and construction standards are achieved. These cover all manner of subjects such as fire and other forms of safety, insulation, the drainage system, and access.

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How to Design an Extension

Many people design their own extensions, using structural engineers for advice. Others use a design and build company who can take on the whole project.

The advantage of hiring a professional to do the design work, is that they might be able to visualise the 

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Please call us on  07931 541 804 for a free no obligation consultation or email me on simon@en-plan.co.uk.  I look forward to talking through any proposals you may have