Permitted Development rights can enable homeowners to undertake many significant improvements to their home without needing to apply for full planning permission. 

While there are limitations and restrictions to the rights granted by Permitted Development, numerous relaxations have been proposed as part of the Government’s planning reforms that are well worth keeping on your radar. 

To best take advantage of Permitted Development, you need to fully understand what is involved and the criteria. 

WHAT IS PERMITTED DEVELOPMENT?

Permitted Development (PD) grants rights to enable homeowners to undertake certain types of work without the need to apply for planning permission. There are many innovative opportunities whereby PD rights can bring significant benefits to anyone who wants to undertake a project to improve their existing home or is looking to maximise the potential of a new investment.

This implied consent of Permitted Development is granted in the form of General Development Planning Orders (GDPOs) which apply separately to England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland.

IS THERE A LIMIT TO PERMITTED DEVELOPMENT RIGHTS?

All Permitted Development requirements apply to the dwelling as it was originally built, or as it stood on 1st July 1948 and as such, there is a limit to how many changes you can make to your home under PD. Unfortunately, the slate is not wiped clean when you buy a home — any space added by past owners since 1948 counts towards your Permitted Development allocation.  

CAN PERMITTED DEVELOPMENT RIGHTS BE WITHDRAWN OR RESTRICTED?

Yes. PD Rights do not apply to flats or maisonettes due to the impact that any alterations could have on neighbouring properties.

If your house is located in a Designated Area, such as a National Park, Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty or Conservation Area then your Permitted Development rights may be restricted or removed under what is known as an Article 4 direction. This is where rights have been removed in the interest of maintaining the character of the local area. This could also be the case if your property is listed. Alternatively, if you’re planning to self build a replacement dwelling and your proposed new home is bigger than the existing house on site, then your Permitted Development rights are likely to be restricted or even removed on condition of granting planning permission. 

HOW DO I KNOW IF MY BUILD FALLS WITHIN THE SCOPE FOR PERMITTED DEVELOPMENT?

Do double check with your local authority or get confirmation from a qualified surveyor that your proposed works are classed as Permitted Development before you begin. 

If your project falls outside the scope of permitted development, you will need to apply for planning permission. 

WHAT IS ALLOWED UNDER PERMITTED DEVELOPMENT?

The scope of your Permitted Development rights are varied and cover both internal and external works, but there are strict design criteria that need to be adhered to. If your project falls outside of the set criteria, then it is likely you will need to submit a planning application.

Some home improvements that you can make under Permitted Development include:

• Building a porch 
• Internal alterations 
• Convert and occupy the loft space 
• Installing microgeneration equipment such as solar panels (apart from wind turbines) 
• Installing satellite dishes and erecting antenna 
• Adding rooflights or dormer windows 
• Extending at the back of your home 
•  

DO I STILL NEED APPROVAL FROM BUILDING REGULATIONS?

Yes. Building Regulations relate to the building work itself and not the permission to carry out the work, so your work must still comply with the stipulations of the Regs. It’s worth noting that if you need to submit a building notice or full plans application to your local authority building control, fees will also apply. 

For more useful information or design inspiration, take a look at some of our other blog posts. You can also keep up to date with us across social media platforms and get in touch with our builders in Cheshire for more advice.