The Windmill
Extending your property under Permitted Development You can often extend or add to your house without the need to apply for planning permission provided you meet a set of limits and conditions. The regime for what is allowed without planning permission applies largely to the dimensions of the proposed extension, its position on the house and its proximity to your boundaries. You will also need to apply for planning permission if more than half the area of land around the “original house” would be covered by additions or other buildings.
• A volume allowance of 40 cubic metres additional roof space for terraced houses*
So what is covered under Permitted Development?
• Roof extensions not to be permitted development in designated areas**
Garages can be built in your garden or on the land around your house without the need to apply for planning permission. However, permission will be required in certain circumstances. It is always a good idea to check with the local planning department at Basildon Council before you start any work in or around your property. You don’t need planning permission to build or replace a driveway of any size if you use permeable (or porous) surfacing eg gravel, permeable concrete block paving or porous asphalt and the rainwater flows to a lawn or border to drain naturally. If you cover more than five square metres using traditional materials that don’t let water through, you will need planning permission. These rules apply to the area of land between the front walls of the house and the highway.
• Roof extensions, apart from hip to gable ones, to be set back, as far as practicable, at least 20cm from the original eaves
We are often called in to value homes before or after a loft conversion. A loft conversion is considered to be a permitted development, not requiring an application for planning permission, subject to the following limits and conditions:
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• A volume allowance of 50 cubic metres additional roof space for detached and semidetached houses* • No extension beyond the plane of the existing roof slope of the principal elevation that fronts the highway • No extension to be higher than the highest part of the roof • Materials to be similar in appearance to the existing house • No verandas, balconies or raised platforms • Side-facing windows to be obscure-glazed; any opening to be 1.7m above the floor
beyond the rear wall of the original house* by more than three metres for an attached house or by four metres for a detached house. •T hese 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. • The Maximum height of a single-storey rear extension of four metres. For further information please visit the planning portal website. Below is a list of works that can generally be carried out under Permitted Development rules:1
Internal remodelling
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Windows and doors
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Garages and attached buildings
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Single storey extensions
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Rooflights
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Loft conversions
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Two storey extensions
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Conservatories
A single storey rear extension, an extension or addition to your house is considered to be permitted development, not requiring an application for planning permission, subject to the following limits and conditions:
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Sheds and outbuildings
• No more than half the area of land around the “original house”* would be covered by additions or other buildings.
14 Swimming pools
• No extension forward of the principal elevation or side elevation fronting a highway.
17 Solar panels
• No extension to be higher than the highest part of the roof.
19 Parking
• The roof enlargement cannot overhang the outer face of the wall of the original house.
• Single-storey rear extension must not extend
10 Converting two homes into one 11 Porches 12 Gates, walls and fences 13 Decking 15 Adding vehicular access 16 Cladding and exteriors 18 Basements 20 Change of use to residential (school, church, barn, mill etc. conversions)