This question should immediately cross your mind when you are thinking about investing in a conservatory or orangery and having it added to your home. Ignoring or being oblivious to planning permission could really come back to bite you when it shouldn’t do.
When a customer comes to Clearview and expresses an interest in any of our conservatories or orangeries, planning permission is one of the first things we will discuss with them.
Planning permission is something a customer won’t have to be concerned about if the home extension they want is a “permitted development” as a permitted development automatically satisfies planning laws.
Most conservatory and orangery designs tend to meet the criteria laid out for permitted developments as the government relaxed size limits for single-storey rear extensions built before 30th May 2019 to give householders encouragement to extend their homes.
A permitted development is so when the following limits and conditions are met:
- 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.
- Single-storey rear extension must not extend beyond the rear wall of the original house* by more than three metres if an attached house or by four metres if a detached house.
- In addition, outside Article 2(3) designated land* and Sites of Special Scientific Interest the limit is increased to 6m if an attached house and 8m if a detached house until 30 May 2019.
- These increased limits (between 3m and 6m and between 4m and 8m respectively) are subject to the prior notification of the proposal to the Local Planning Authority and the implementation of a neighbour consultation scheme. If objections are received, the proposal might not be allowed.
- Maximum height of a single-storey rear extension of four metres.
- Extensions of more than one storey must not extend beyond the rear wall of the original house* by more than three metres.
- 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.
- Two-storey extensions no closer than seven metres to rear boundary.
- Roof pitch of extensions higher than one storey to match existing house.
- Materials to be similar in appearance to the existing house.
- No verandas, balconies or raised platforms.
- Upper-floor, side-facing windows to be obscure-glazed; any opening to be 1.7m above the floor.
- On designated land* no permitted development for rear extensions of more than one storey.
- On designated land no cladding of the exterior.
- On designated land no side extensions.
* 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.
* Designated land includes conservation areas, national parks and the Broads, Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty, and World Heritage Sites.
Not a permitted development?
If the planned design falls short on any of those points, a planning application will need to be completed and submitted to the planning department at your local authority.
On average, it takes eight weeks for them to adjudicate and up to 13 weeks for the most complex extensions.
Clearview is an expert when it comes to planning permission
Planning permission is something we have immense knowledge of. We know what planners in the North West want and create conservatory and orangery designs that keep them, and people like you, happy.
Visit our Helpful Guides page to download our invaluable guide to Planning Permission.
