Planning applications are not always needed for house projects. I’ve prepared a list below of some examples and things to consider.
Consult the Council or a professional before making any major plans, especially if you’re spending your money on the project.
| Projects needing planning application | Projects that do not need planning application |
| Building or rebuilding a house Adding a floor on to a house Raising the height of an existing house dividing a house or flat Garages in front of houses Residential Conversion Change of use of an outbuilding Most extensions at the front Decking Balconies and verandas External cladding in Conservation Areas, AONBs or National Parks. | Laying paths, patios, paving and hard standings Creating accesses onto unclassified roads Repairs, maintenance and like-for-like replacements of building elements Extensions to houses Porches New doors and windows Replacement double glazing Painting and repainting Solar and photovoltaic panels Working from home Garden buildings Swimming pools Tennis courts |
Annexes
The annexe does not require planning permission, as long as it is used by the household or their employees.
An annexe is considered independent if it can contain all the amenities of a house – such as a kitchen and a bathroom. You will not need to seek permission to occupy the annexe unless there is an unusual connection between the annexe and the main house.
It is more likely that an annexe requires permission from the house if it’s physically attached, has to share some facilities, and has a lot of people going back and forth.
When constructing an annexe attached to a house, the building itself could come within permitted development rights for extensions. A separate building cannot be first occupied as living accommodation, even if it is built as permitted development.
As long as an existing building remains in the same planning unit, a new housing extension should not be considered to be a change of use for a house.
So, if an existing building is used as an annexe in a garden building development, it will have to be considered a potential detached dwelling first.
Caravans
Referencing the law, that is if you are considering placing a caravan or mobile home in your garden. A caravan is not a building because it only rests on the ground and so is considered a transient thing.
Relevant development is not permitted in caravans. Planning legislation does not define them. The definition for caravan sites from the Caravan Sites Act is adopted.
A mobile home is a house on wheels that must be movable and fit into certain dimensions.
We’ll start by looking at the definition of a caravan. A caravan is designed for human habitation and typically, these are equipped for self-contained occupation.
Proximity to a caravan might influence whether permission is required to build near it.
The caravan would have to be within the parameter of where we want it to be in our garden.
If the field was in the same ownership, but not part of your planning unit, you need permission to put a wind turbine there.
If the caravan does not go under the use of the house, and is occupied independently, you will need planning permission from the council.
Parking a touring caravan in a garden or driveway usually doesn’t require any planning permits.
Working from home
As we are all mostly working from home during covid there may be some restrictions on its use.
You may not need to get planning permission if you’re just using a home as an office space or from home. Some people use a kitchen table to conduct business, which is allowed in the UK.
However, if there are a lot of visitors, the movement of people, machinery, noise, etc.. may require planning permission to change its use.
If there’s an absence of impact, then it wouldn’t need to apply for planning permission. However, if the case of a foreseeable material change in circumstances, then it would.
There is not a clear-cut answer on the use of a house as a business. If the council has rejected a project, an appeal may be filed with a planning inspector in case it’s approved.
The criteria that was used when determining this property’s suitability is the proportion of the property that would be used for the business. There are specific rules about how much space this type of business can have; it varies by region. For example, if it generates a high volume of traffic, then it needs more space. It must also not be noisy or have goods stored outside the facility. Which may mean you need a planning permit.
I hope this is useful and if you need further information please don’t hesitate to contact us at info@icelabz.co.uk
