Planning Regulations

As a result of changes to the planning system which came in to effect on 1st October 2008 the majority of extensions to residential properties will be deemed 'Permitted Developments'. Homeowners are not required to put in a planning application for a Permitted Development.

Small extensions have been deemed permitted developments for some time but the changes are expected to remove around a quarter of the remaining applications from the in-trays of overburdened planning officers, and in the process save the taxpayer up to £50 million a year.

Under the new regulations, as long as a planned extension adheres to a set of guidelines it will be given Permitted Development status.

Extensions

Detached properties can be extended to the rear by up to 4 metres, measured from the original building line, without planning permission. For semi-detached and terraced properties this maximum depth is reduced to 3 metres. Where a rear extension is two or more storeys high none of it should extend by more than 3 metres.

In addition there are restrictions on the height of new extensions; single storey extensions should be no more than 4 metres high and extensions of 2 or more storeys should protrude no higher than the roofline of the existing property. All side extensions must be single storey only and must be no more than half the width of the original property.