What is a Lawful Development Certificate?

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A Lawful Development Certificate is a legal document stating the lawfulness of past, present or future building use, operations, or other matters. If granted by the local planning authority, the certificate means that enforcement action cannot be carried out to the development referred to in the certificate, However, the certificate will not protect from enforcement action by the planning authority if the specified use is then changed 'materially' without a planning application for it.

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What is an orangery?

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The most common questions we're asked about conservatories are "What is the difference between a conservatory and an orangery?" and "What is an orangery?" A conservatory is a glass structure with a brick base and a pitched glazed roof. An orangery is a brick structure with large windows and a flat roof with a glass lantern. To really understand the subtle differences between a conservatory and an orangery we need to understand how conservatories developed from orangeries. To do that, we go back to when large glazed windows were used to maximise sunlight.

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History of Orangeries?

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In Renaissance Italy and in Holland, the development of glass technology allowed the production of large expanses of clear glass. Because of this, large glass windows could be constructed, for the first time. Taking advantage of large window technology, solid structures could be built to maximise light and benefit from sunlight. In 17th century northern Europe, buildings with large windows appeared that enabled citrus fruits and exotic plants to grow protected from the winter cold. These buildings were constructed from brick or stone and had a solid north-facing wall to protect against the cold and a stove to keep them warm. The tall windows were positioned south-facing to maximise sunlight and usually had wooden shutters to retain heat at night.

 

The original orangeries in the 17th century had solid roofs, but in the 19th century began to feature the central glazed lantern to allow more light to flood in. Although they originated as a practical means to cultivate fruits, the orangery quickly became an ornate status symbol trend featuring impressive architecture. Wealthy owners of grand houses and estates would delight in showing off the ornate architecture and the collection of exotic plants they owned.

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What are the befits of adding an orangery to your home?

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If you’re thinking of enhancing the look and value of your home, now is the perfect time to invest in a new orangery. Orangeries are a popular home improvement project because they are an affordable way to extend your property. They are much more substantial than a conservatory extension and they’re designed to seamlessly blend in with the existing property. Here we have listed seven key benefits of installing an orangery.  

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Create an additional room with a bright and airy feel 

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An orangery is a cost-effective solution to adding needed extra living space, and it’s a lot cheaper compared to loft extensions and traditional brick extensions. What’s more, orangeries combine all the practicalities of an extension, such as added privacy and superb insulation, with the light and airy feel of a conservatory. Traditionally built with a brick wall base, an orangery feels far more integrated to your house than a typical conservatory. 

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A contemporary year-round living space 

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Orangeries can create a fully functional room for all seasons. In summer you can enjoy the sunshine from the comfort of your orangery with modern glazing technology allowing to reduce the glare of natural light. This means it will never get too hot during extended periods of sunlight, making it perfect for south-facing orangeries. These extensions can also be cosy in the winter months, retaining all warmth in. 

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 Total design flexibility 

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Orangeries allow for total design flexibility, allowing you to create a unique living space. Choose a style of brick similar to the bricks used to build your house and frames with a coloured finish that complements your property.  An orangery can create a seamless connection between your home and your garden with the integration of an appropriate form of door solution. As an example, French doors are well suited to traditional orangeries and contemporary bi-Fold doors are a great option for modern orangeries. 

 Boost the value of your property 

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If you ever think of selling your property, an orangery extension can increase the resale value of your home with at least 7%. As well as its valuation increasing, prospective buyers find orangeries an attractive feature when looking for a new home. 

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Orangeries are incredible versatile space that can be used for almost any purpose. You can use them as:

• Living room 

• Dining area 

• Office 

• Playroom 

• Home gym 

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Made from robust materials like timber, uPVC and aluminium, modern orangery design does not require too much looking after. If you go for a self-cleaning glass option, your orangery will be virtually maintenance–free.  Most orangeries are now categorised as a “permitted development”. Therefore, they don’t typically require planning permission if they meet the following criteria: The orangery must not exceed or cover more than 50% of the size of the house and should not be more than half the width of the house 

The orangery should not exceed 4 metres in height. Also, it shouldn’t have eaves higher than 3 metres if within 2 metres of a structure boundary should not include any verandas, balconies or enclosures.

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The advantges and disadvantages of a home office:

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1. increased productivity

The colleagues from the department have a short chat while you try to work highly concentrated yourself. The colleague talks about her vacation and somewhere a telephone rings: "Especially in open-plan offices the noise level is often high. Colleagues distract you and you notice how your concentration suffers. You can avoid this in your home office. No one is there to distract you. You can create the working atmosphere you want much better than you need to be productive. With absolute peace and quiet, your favourite music on your ear or a wide open window. Open-plan offices in particular have some disadvantages that affect productivity, such as time or Gentside reports.
 

2. save time and money

The shorter the commuting distance, the faster you get to work. What sounds natural at first becomes all the clearer when you don't have to drive 20 kilometres in the evening traffic. The employee can thus save valuable time on every home office day, depending on how he or she travels to and from work. Home office days can also make themselves felt in the wallet. The fewer distances travelled, the lower the costs of mobility by car and public transport. This saves you money.

However, working from home also means that you are inclined not to leave home. The magic figure of 10,000 steps per day is therefore not something that most people can manage. Andreas Weck shows in a report at t3n how this goal can also be achieved, despite the home office.
 

3. work when it suits you

Where some prefer to start an hour earlier to get more out of the day, others prefer to work into the evening hours or to have an extended lunch break. If there are no appointments or meetings in the way, this can be achieved wonderfully by working in the home office. This enables you to achieve a great work-life balance, as you are much more flexible than with fixed working hours. Especially for employees with children, the home office offers advantages as they can spend most of their time at home with their loved ones. But don't forget: At the end of the working day, the workload must still be reached!
 

4. using the cosiness of your own four walls

"What am I wearing today?" - This question belongs to the past. In the home office, you can dress, style and behave the way you want, because in the end, it's all about work. You can also set up your workplace as you wish.
 

The disadvantages of the home office

Every medal has two sides - as does the work from home. The disadvantages of the home office are discussed below.
 

1. self-discipline is a must!

Even if productivity is often higher, there are still many distractions lurking at home: Just wash a machine, do the dishes and watch a episode of your favourite series, then it's time to get back to work... But at the end of the day, this setting costs you more time than you save by travelling to work and increasing productivity. That's why a high degree of self-discipline is indispensable so that you can really carry out your tasks even though there is no boss in sight. After all, work in your home office is based on trust, which means that your boss trusts that you will really be able to work the required hours.
 

2. separation of work and private life

When work and life merge in the premises, there is a high risk that the clear separation of the two areas will be abolished. In the evening "just check mails for a short time" or quickly attach them one or two hours after dinner often becomes a habit. That's why you should always have a look at the hours you have worked, despite your home office, and spend them as productively as possible.
 

3. miss the boat

As annoying as the colleagues may be - in the end we people like to be in company and whoever works most of the time or even exclusively in the home office also misses the nice conversations between colleagues and the common breaks. In addition, good means of communication must be available on the part of the employer so that the communication and distribution of tasks among the employees can also function smoothly in the home office and not end in endless email conversations. Also, unfortunately, some employers often perceive the employees who are not present as being less present than those who are always on site. This can have a negative impact on additional bonuses or salary increases.
 

4. pressure and overtime

Home office is not yet established in many companies. Workers often find themselves under pressure to be particularly good at avoiding the prejudice of working nothing. This often results in unpaid overtime and additional stress.
 

Is home office good or bad?

Whether a home office is good or bad cannot be said in general terms. Work at home should neither be too strict nor too relaxed in order to create an optimal work-life balance. So you can use the advantages and eliminate disadvantages. In addition, there are a lot of tips and tools on how to make working in the home office even better, more productive and more successful.

vated platforms 

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What are the next steps?

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Please use the contact form below to email us so we can arrange a free no obigation consultation and guide you on your first steps on ths fascinating journey in improiving your home and workoing environment

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