Homeowners who want to improve their homes have been told about seven surprising changes they can make without getting permission from the city.
Personal finance experts from TheMoneyPig.com have researched and revealed the rules and regulations surrounding home improvements – and households may be able to make more fuss-free changes than they think, thanks to permitted development rights.
Permitted development rights allow homeowners to make specific changes to a building without needing planning permission.
Home Improvements You Can Make Without Planning Permission
Here are some examples of what you may be able to do under permitted development rights, but you should always double-check with your local planning authority, as, in some cases, your rights may have been removed.
1. Porches
Porches are the only type of addition you can make beyond the front wall of a property that's allowed under permitted development, as long it's no higher than three meters, it has an external footprint no greater than three square meters, and no part of it is nearer than two meters from any highway.
(Image credit: Alicia Taylor)
2. Walls, Gates and Fences
As long as you don't increase the height of the original structure, you can remove a gate, fence, or wall, make alterations or repairs, or carry out improvement and maintenance work. If you want to increase the height, you'll need planning permission.
(Image credit: Annaick Guitteny)
3. Solar Panels
Solar panels can help homeowners save money on their electricity bills, and flues and antennas are allowed under permitted development.
4. Garden Rooms
External buildings detached from the main house are allowed under permitted development, but they must be located in a rear or side garden. They cannot be built in a front garden. They can only be single-story, and the footprint of any outbuilding cannot exceed more than 50% of the land surrounding a dwelling.
(Image credit: Simon Bevan)
5. Conservatory
Building a conservatory onto your property is considered a permitted development. It does not require planning permission unless more than 50% of the land around the house is to be covered (this includes any other buildings) or the conservatory is to be built to the front of the house that faces the road.
(Image credit: Jonathan Gooch)
6. Loft Conversion
Converting your loft can prove the ideal remedy if you're finding yourself short of space at home. Generally, you don't need planning consent to do this on the condition that the converted loft's cubic content will not exceed 40 square meters. Permitted development lets you add dormer windows – ensure they don't rest higher than any part of your existing roof or extend past the roof plane on the principal elevation.
(Image credit: Davide Lovatti)
7. Parking Space
Save yourself the hassle of finding a parking space near your home by creating parking spaces within your residential boundaries. This is allowed under Class F of the General Permitted Development Order, but specific restrictions still apply. It could be worth contacting the local council for advice and making this local planning authority hasn't removed sure of your PD rights.
(Image credit: Mark Luscombe Whyte)
'Whatever your reasons for extending or renovating your home, there are plenty of changes you can make without the hassle of having to go through the process of applying for planning permission,' explains a spokesperson for TheMoneyPig.com
Most houses have permitted development rights, but flats and maisonettes do not, so planning permission is required. Some improvements and upgrades that fall under permitted development include building porches, garden rooms, conservatories, and even converting lofts.
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