Do You Actually Need Planning Permission? It Depends More Than People Think

This is probably the question we get asked most, and the honest answer is always some version of ‘it depends’. Permitted development rights let you carry out certain types of work without a full planning application, but the rules have more conditions attached than most people expect.

What permitted development actually covers

Single-storey rear extensions, some loft conversions and certain outbuildings can often be built under permitted development, provided they stay within specific size and height limits. But those rights can be restricted or removed entirely depending on the property, particularly if you’re in a conservation area, if the house is listed, or if permitted development rights were removed by a previous planning condition.

Where it gets missed

We regularly meet homeowners who assumed their extension didn’t need permission, based on something a neighbour did or general advice online, only to find their specific property has different restrictions. Every borough, and sometimes every street, can have slightly different considerations. It’s worth checking properly rather than assuming.

Full applications aren’t a bad thing

If your project does need full planning permission, that’s not necessarily a problem. It just means the local council reviews the design against local planning policy before construction can start. We handle the application, the drawings and any supporting documents, and we manage communication with the planning officer through to a decision.

Our advice, generally

Get this checked before you get attached to a specific design. It’s much easier to adjust plans on paper than after you’ve already committed to a particular layout that turns out to need a route you weren’t expecting.

If you’re not sure where your project stands, get in touch and we’ll give you a straight answer, based on your actual property and borough.