Do You Need Planning Permission for a Conservatory?
Building a conservatory for your home is a great way to create space and light in your house, while at the same time establishing a connection with your outdoor space and increasing the value of your property. The problem is that many homeowners are bored with the idea of building a conservatory, often out of confusion about conservatory planning permission rules. Do you need planning permission for a conservatory? Just read on!
According to the law, to construct or modify the use of land or buildings in the UK, you must obtain planning permission.
The planning permission aims to consider the visual and aesthetic effects of the new building or expansion on the existing houses in the surrounding area.
It is often confused with building codes-its full details are outlined later in this guide.
Due to the “permission development rights” granted by the council, you can build certain types of structures without applying for planning permission. Some conservatorys and single-story extensions fall into this category.
At EYG, we always recommend that you check whether your conservatory requires planning permission before the construction process begins. We believe this will give you complete peace of mind before spending a penny.
Permitted development rights
The development of the conservatory is considered to be permitted development. Adding a conservatory to your house is the same as adding a single-story extension, and the same rules apply. These rules, known as “permitted development” rights, allow you to expand your house without applying for planning permission if certain restrictions and conditions are met. “The permitted development rights allow residents to improve and expand their houses without having to apply for planning permission, because this is out of proportion to the impact of the project being carried out.”
Conservatory planning permission is not required if subject to the following restrictions and conditions:
The planning permission aims to consider the visual and aesthetic effects of the new building or expansion on the existing houses in the surrounding area.
(The permitted development allowance described here applies to houses, not apartments, duplex villas, or other buildings.)
* The conservatory cannot extend beyond the wall in the main facade of the original house. Guidance on what constitutes the main elevation is included in the household guide.
* The land area covered by the conservatory does not exceed half of the land area around the original house.
* The conservatory cannot be higher than the eaves of the existing house.
* If your conservatory is located within 2 meters of the boundary of your house, the height of the eaves of the conservatory cannot exceed 3 meters.
* It is not allowed to develop conservatory in mansions of protected buildings.
* The length and height of the conservatory shall not exceed 4 meters.
* For side conservatory, the width of your conservatory cannot exceed half the width of the original house.
* Side conservatory impose additional restrictions on the size of protected areas, national parks, natural beauty areas, or world heritage sites. They extend no more than 3 meters from the side elevation of the original residence and must be set back at least 1 meter from the main elevation of the original residence.
Do need conservatory planning permission if:
* Will cover more than 50% of the land around the “original house” (including any other buildings)
* The extension is located in front of the front or side of the “original house” facing the road
How big a conservatory can you build without conservatory planning permission?
The possible size of your conservatory depends on the size of the property you are expanding. To be built without planning permission, the area of the conservatory cannot exceed 50% of the area around the original house (including sheds and outbuildings).
If you want to avoid planning permission, there are also restrictions on how far you can build from the back and sides of the house:
* The conservatory can extend back from the back wall of the “original house”, detached houses can extend up to 8 meters, and semi-detached houses can extend up to 6 meters. However, if the structure exceeds four meters, the Neighbor Negotiation Plan applies and the local planning department must be notified.
* The height of the rear conservatory cannot exceed four meters, but if it is within two meters of the boundary, the height must be less than three meters.
* The conservatory built on the side cannot exceed 50% of the original house area.
In addition to planning permission, building regulations will apply to conservatory with a construction area of more than 30 square meters.
If the following situations occur, conservatory needs planning permission:
* They are higher than the highest point of the roof
* The height of eaves and ridge is higher than existing houses (single-story and two-story)
The height of the eaves exceeds 3 meters, if it is within 2 meters of the boundary
If the following situations occur, the conservatory on the side needs planning permission:
* Single layer or more than 4 meters
* They are wider than half the width of the “original house”
The conservatory built in the rear needs planning permission if:
* They extend beyond the “rear of the original house” by more than 6 meters (half) or 8 meters (detached house)*
* They are more than 4 meters high
Do you need planning permission for a conservatory roof?
Changing the conservatory roof from glass to tiles will change the nature of the structure from a conservatory to a single-story extension. If the extension meets all the requirements that allow development, no planning permission is required. However, since the structure is no longer considered a “conservatory” exemption, it does need to meet relevant building regulations.
Do you need planning permission for a conservatory with a radiator ?
Conservatory does not require planning permission for independent radiators, but building codes are required if the heating system is connected to other parts of the house.
To ensure that your conservatory is classified as a conservatory and does not require building regulations, it must have a heating system independent of the house. This is defined by having a separate heating control in the conservatory, for example, an independent electric radiator.
Conclusion
Do you need planning permission for a conservatory? This is usually one of the first questions asked by anyone who wants to add a conservatory to their home, and in most cases, you don’t need planning permission. This is because the conservatory is considered to allow development and is therefore not subject to planning permission. In fact, in recent years, planning legislation has been relaxed, which makes adding a conservatory in your home an easier process. The range of conservatory that do not require planning permission has been significantly increased, providing a series of styles and designs suitable for your property.
Originally published at https://www.tlw.com.