Planning Permission Information

What is planning permission?

In the UK you will need planning permission (sometimes called planning consent) if you want to build on land, or if you want to change the use of land or buildings. The requirement for planning permission was introduced in 1947 under the Town and Country Planning act. Interestingly, all buildings and land uses that existed prior to 1947 were granted planning permission, and it was only after that date that planning permission was required. The current version of the act is the Town and Country Planning Act 1990 if you decide to take a look you will need to put some time aside as it is a very lengthy and complicated document! The Local Planning Authority (LPA) is responsible for granting planning permission. The LPA is normally your local Borough or District Council who will normally have a website with all of the relevant information and forms.

Do I need planning permission?

The vast majority of loft conversions do not require planning permission. However, there are some situations where you may need permission such as:

• Your house is a listed building
• You live in a conservation area
• You want to build dormers that face onto the road
• You want to build a dormer that will overlook a neighbours property
• Any part of the conversion will be higher than the existing roof
• If your home has already been extended to the limit of its permitted development (15% of original size)

If you are unsure we recommend that you contact your LPA.