Planning Permission

Do I Need Planning Permission for a Conservatory?

If planning permission is required we will take care of it for you as this is included in our service and cost, giving you a stress free experience and peace of mind that we have obtained thousands of successful applications and have the knowledge and experience to process this as efficiently and as quickly as possible.

For conservatories however, planning permission usually isn’t needed. this is due to the new regulations that came into effect from 1 October 2008 which means adding a conservatory to your home is considered to be permitted development, not needing an application for planning permission, subject to the following limits and conditions:

• No more than half the area of land around the “original house”* would be covered by additions or other buildings.
• No extension forward of the principal elevation or side elevation fronting a highway.
• No extension to be higher than the highest part of the roof.
• Maximum depth of a single-storey rear extension of three metres for an attached house and four metres for a detached house.
• Maximum height of a single-storey rear extension of four metres.
• Maximum depth of a rear extension of more than one storey of three metres including ground floor.
• Maximum eaves height of an extension within two metres of the boundary of three metres.
• Maximum eaves and ridge height of extension no higher than existing house.
• Side extensions to be single storey with maximum height of four metres and width no more than half that of the original house.
• Roof pitch of extensions higher than one storey to match existing house.
• No verandas, balconies or raised platforms.
• On designated land* no permitted development for rear extensions of more than one storey; no cladding of the exterior; no side extensions.
• Where work is proposed to a listed building, listed building consent may be required.

*The term “original house” means the house as it was first built or as it stood on 1 July 1948 (if it was built before that date). Although you may not have built an extension to the house, a previous owner may have done so.

*An example of designated land includes national parks and the Broads, Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty, conservation areas and World Heritage Sites.

Planning permission can also vary due to the age of your property, for example you may also need to check if your house is a ‘new build’ as developers sometimes place restrictions on them.

If your project does need planning permission however, once your survey is complete, our team will draw up all necessary plans for your project. They will submit an application and deal with everything for you.

For more information on planning permission visit the Planning Portal – The Planning Portal is the UK Government’s online planning and building regulations resource for England and Wales.

How long does planning permission take?

All local authorities are slightly different, but most of them take around 8 weeks to make their decision. Around 99% of Leekes’ planning applications are successful and with no issue.

Planning Permission for Garage Conversions

Planning permission is not usually required, providing the work is internal and does not involve enlarging the building. Sometimes permitted development rights have been removed from some properties with regard to garage conversions and therefore you should contact your local planning authority before proceeding, particularly if you live on a new housing development or in a conservation area.

Where work is proposed to a listed building, listed building consent may be required. Once your survey is complete, our team will draw up all necessary plans for your project.