extending
your house
You need to apply for planning permission to extend
or add to your house in the following circumstances:
- You want to build an addition or a new building
which would be nearer to any highway than the
nearest part of the 'original house', unless
there would be at least 20 metres between your
house (as extended) and the highway. The term
'highway' here includes all roads, footpaths,
bridleways and byways if they are public rights
of way. (There are special rules for porches).
- More than half the area of land surrounding the
'original house' would be covered by additions
or other buildings. The term 'original house' means
the house as it was first built or as it stood
on 1st July 1948 (if it was built before that date).
Although you may not have built an extension or
addition to the house, a previous owner may have
done so.
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height limits
for extensions
You will need to apply for planning permission
before building an extension to your house if:
- the extension is
higher than the highest part of the roof of
the 'original house', or
- any part of the extension is more than 4 metres
high and is within 2 metres of the boundary of
your property. (Loft conversions and dormers have
separate rules.)
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volume limits for extensions
You will need to apply for planning permission
before building an extension if:
-
for a terrace house (including an end of
terrace house) or any house in a conservation
area or area of outstanding natural beauty
or the broads - the volume of the 'original
house' would be increased by more than
10% or 50 cubic metres (whichever is the
greater).
- for any kind of house outside those areas, the
volume of the 'original house' would be increased
by more than 15% or 70 cubic metres (whichever
is the greater); and
- in any case, the volume of the 'original house'
would be increased by more than 115 cubic metres.
Volume is calculated from the external dimensions
of the entire structure of the extension.
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additional buildings/
structures
In the following circumstances, the volume of other
buildings which belong to your house (such as garage
or shed) will count against the volume allowances.
In some cases, this can include buildings which
were built at the same time as the house or exisited
on 1st July 1948.
- Any building which has been added to your property
and which is more than 10 cubic metres in volume
and which is within 5 metres of your house is treated
as an extension of the house and so reduces the
allowance for further extensions.
- If an extension to your house comes within 5
metres of another building belonging to your house,
the volume of that building counts against the
allowance for additions and extensions.
- If you live in a conservation area, a national
park, an area of outstanding natural beauty or
the broads, all additional buildings which are
more than 10 cubic metres in volume, whereever
they may be in relation to the house, are treated
as extensions of the house and reduce the allowance
for further extensions.
You will need to apply for planning permission
if any of the following cases apply:
- The building
or structure is not to be used for
purposes ancillary to domestic use
and is to be used instead, for example,
for parking a commercial vehicle, running
a business or for storing goods in
connection with a business.
-You want to put up a structure which is more than
3 metres high or more than 4 metres high if it
has a ridged roof. (Measure from the highest ground
next to it.)
- Your house is a listed building, and you want
to put up a building or structure with a volume
of more than 10 cubic metres.
- You live in a conservation area, a national park
or an area of outstanding natural beauty, or the
Broads, and you would like to put up a building
or structure with a volume of more than 10 cubic
metres (though it might be allowable as an extension,
see above)
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