Do I need planning permission?
For Householders
The need for planning permission for works to your house depends on their nature and scale.
In some cases, you can carry out minor alterations to your house without submitting a planning application. This is because 'permitted development' rights grant you deemed planning permission provided you meet certain conditions. What is and is not considered permitted development is set out in a piece of legislation known as the General Permitted Development Order (GPDO). The GPDO is a long and complex document in 40 parts, and this page offers a basic summary of only certain sections.
Changes
On 1 October 2008, the householder permitted development rights legislation changed. Find out more including guidance and real-life case studies in the Planning Portal's Building Work section (opens in new window).
What if I own a flat, not a house?
Permitted development rights do not exist for properties that are flats. Legislation defines a flat as:
"a separate and self-contained set of premises constructed or adapted for use for the purpose of a dwelling and forming part of a building from some other part of which it is divided horizontally”.
Unravelling the jargon
- Curtilage is the legal term for "the area of land occupied by a dwelling and its yard and outbuildings, actually enclosed or considered as enclosed"
- Highway is not defined by statute but will normally include public roads, public footpaths and bridleways. It can also sometimes relate to private roads and footpaths.
- Microwave antenna means a satellite antenna or terrestrial microwave antenna.
Enlargements, improvements and other alterations
Planning permission is required for:
- Extensions fronting a highway on the principal elevation
- Any side extensions
- Rear extensions greater than one storey
- Cladding the exterior of the house
- Verandas and balconies
- Raised platforms more than 300mm high
Other developments may be permitted if the following conditions are met:
- The height of the eaves of the extensions must not exceed 3 metres if the extension is within 2 metres of a boundary
- Single-storey rear extensions must not extend from the wall of the original house by more than 3 metres for terraced or semi-detached houses, or 4 metres for detached houses
- Materials must be of a similar appearance to existing materials
- Upper floor windows inserted in side elevations must be obscure glazed and openable parts of the window must be more than 1.7 metres above the floor
- Total ground area covered by buildings in curtilage must not exceed 50 per cent of the curtilage area
Enlargements by additions or alterations to roofs
Planning permission is required for:
- All roof extensions, including the installation of dormer windows
- Other developments, such as roof lights, projecting more than 150mm from the surface of the roof
- Roof lights in side elevations which are openable below 1.7 metres from the floor or are not obscure glazed
Porches
Planning permission is required for:
- Porches which are not constructed outside existing external door
- Porches greater than 3 square metres, 3 metres in height or within 2 metres of any boundary with a highway
Curtilage structures - including buildings, enclosures, pools and containers
Planning permission is required for:
- Containers with capacity greater than 3,500 litres
- Structures forward of the principal elevation
- Two-storey structures
- Structures to the side
- Verandas and balconies
- Raised platforms more than 300mm high
Other development may be permitted if the following conditions are met:
- Dual-pitched structures, such as a building with a gable-ended roof, must not exceed 4 metres high
- Structures within 2 metres of boundary must not exceed 2.5 metres high
- Other structures must not exceed 3 metres high
- Eaves heights must not exceed 2.5 metres high
- Curtilage structures greater than 10 square metres and more than 20 metres from any wall of the house will exclude further permitted development under this class.
- Total ground area covered by structures in curtilage must not exceed 50 per cent of curtilage area (excluding house area)
Hard surfaces
Planning permission is required for:
- Non-porous hard surfaces greater than 5 square metres between the principal elevation and a highway will require consent unless there is a direct run-off to a permeable or porous area in the curtilage
Please note: this applies to the replacement of existing hard surfaces and not just new surfaces.
For more details, please read Communities and Local Government: Guidance on permeable surfacing of front gardens (opens in new window)
Chimney, flue, soil and vent pipes
Planning permission is required for:
- Installation on a principal or side elevation fronting a highway
Other development may be permitted if the following conditions are met:
- Chimney, flue, soil and vent pipes should not exceed 1 metre above the highest part of roof
Installation, alteration or replacement of a microwave antenna, such as satellite dishes
Planning permission is required for:
- Antenna facing onto and visible from the highway
- Antenna on a building where the building exceeds 15 metres in height
- More than two antennas
Other developments may be permitted if the following conditions are met:
- one antenna must not exceed 60cm and the other 100cm in length
- Antennas installed on a roof with a chimney must not exceed the height of the chimney or 60 cm above the ridge tiles, whichever is lower
- On a roof without a chimney, antennas must not protrude above the ridge
- Where attached to a chimney, the antenna must not protrude above the chimney
- Antennas must not exceed 35 litres
So far as is practicable, antennas should be sited to minimise their effect on external appearance of building. For guidance on whether you need planning permission and where you can place your dish check out the Planning Portal's Antennae Guide (opens in new window).
Applications for a Certificate of Lawful Development
The General Permitted Development Order is a long and complex document. As such this page offers only a summary of certain sections, and is intended as guidance only. If you would like a formal determination from the Lake District National Park Authority as to whether a scheme is, or is not permitted development, you would need to submit an application for a Certificate of Proposed Lawful Development – an application for which a fee is payable. You can find out more about making an application for a certificate of lawful development on our How to apply page.
Still uncertain?
Then please contact us! We'll be happy to advise you. All details are on Contact us and planning surgeries
If you need to apply
Our How to apply page gives more details of the process.
