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Planning permission – do you need it?
Top tip
- Make the necessary checks yourself
If you live in England and Wales, probably not. Planning
permission is not usually required as long as you don’t
exceed the ‘permitted development’ limit for
your property, which is 50-70 cubic metres, depending on
where you live. However, any extensions made to the property
in the past will have used up some or the entire permitted
development limit, in which case you may need permission
to expand further.
Note, too, that permitted development rights may occasionally
be withdrawn from a property in which case any extension,
however small, will need planning permission. Or there
may be covenants affecting building work – check
your property deeds if you suspect this may be the case.
If you have any doubts about planning permission, make
the necessary checks with your local planning officer – it’s
better to be safe than sorry! Don’t rely on your
conservatory supplier to sort it out – you’re
the one who will be in trouble if planning rules are flouted.
Visit www.conservatories4uk.com/planpermeng.asp for more
information.
Scotland’s planning legislation also allows for
certain works to be exempt from planning permission.
In homes other than flats and maisonettes no building
warrant is required for an unheated conservatory under
eight square metres attached to an existing house. The
conservatory must be located a minimum of one metre from
any boundary and not must not contain sanitary accommodation
nor be situated on land within the boundaries of which
there are harmful or dangerous substances. A door must
be provided between the conservatory and the house.
However, due to the more complex nature of Scotland’s
planning legislation it is highly advisable to liase with
the Development Promotion Section of the local council – and
essential to do so when contemplating adding conservatories
to listed buildings, houses in conservation areas, flats
or maisonettes. See www.sbsa.gov.uk/h-improvements/byb.htm for further details.
Building regulations – are they applicable?
Top tip
- All criteria must be met to claim exemption
In general, conservatories and sunrooms on residential
property are exempt from building regulations as long as
the extension meets the following criteria.
- It is single storey and sited at ground level
- It is permanently separated from the remainder of the property
by a door
- The floor area does not exceed 30 square metres
- At least half the area of the walls is formed of windows
- At least three-quarters of the roof consists of glazing,
polycarbonate sheets or a similar translucent material
- Any radiator(s) is controllable – if fixed heating
installations are proposed, they must have
separate temperature and on/off controls
- The glazing meets the requirements of part N, schedule
1 covering toughened/safety glass
- There are no drainage facilities, eg for a sink, washing
machine or WC
Bear in mind that if your conservatory does require building
regulation approval it will need glazing with the highest
insulation quality such as Pilkington K glass (low E) with
argon-filled units.
For further details see www.conservatories4uk.com/building_regulations.asp
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