Permitted Development: an alternative to planning

Every year, most people try to extend their property because they want to increase sales value. Many people go to their local authority for planning permissions. They may not know how long their process can go and bypass it through permitted development rights. These rights loosened in June 2019.

These PD (Permitted Development) rights assist you in extending your property on a specific percentage, and you can make such improvements without the requirement of planning permission from your local authority. These PD (Permitted Development) rights apply differently to Northern Ireland, Wales. Scotland and England.

Please remember the criteria of work followed by PD is somehow strict. Hence it is best to visit your local planning office or do an in-depth qualified survey to check that planning permission is unnecessary or not.

So what sort of work can you do with Permitted development rights?

• You can extend your place 8 meters to the rear with one storey addition or 6 meters with double addition. Rear area and Height conditions will apply. But Double the size was earlier allowed.
• The property addition should not encompass half plus of the garden, or the original building can go forward of the building boundary.
• It is necessary to build new extensions with the same material of the existing building.
• Please remember that the building's side additions are allowed but with some restrictions of width and height.
• These same rules will apply for conservatories. 

• You can convert your loft into a living place.
• The roof of your living place can be enhanced up to forty meters cubed to make a terrace or fifty meters cubed for detached and semi-detached properties.
• Roof windows and dormers can be built; however, it should be made at the front of the house and should not go forward from the roof plane.
• Side-facing windows should be obscure-glazed.

• The porch should not be higher than three meters above from the ground. Also, the external footprint should not encompass more than three-meter squares.
• No part of the structure ought to fall inside 2 metres of the initial property boundary and, therefore, the highway.

• No over the half area of land around the original property is covered.
• Outbuildings should be single-story with highest height restrictions.
• Raised platforms, balconies, or Verandas aren't permissible under Permitted Development.

• The addition of latest roof lights, skylights, doors, and windows is permissible (but building control may have to be notified).
• The newest bay window may be considered an addition. 

 PD( permitted Development) Rights are only applicable to private house properties. Flats listed as buildings are not included in these PD( permitted Development) Rights. The unique properties in some areas like green-belt areas or conservation areas also have to face some restrictions.

You may utilize your PD( permitted Development) Rights as often as you require; however, your building extension work may be used only once. If you are going to buy a property, then it's the owner's responsibility to understand the PD( permitted Development) Rights that are withdrawn, modified or used in that property.

Remember, sometimes there are some cases in which your building fulfils the PD( permitted Development) Rights, but for some reason further, confirmation is required. You should apply for an LDC (Lawful Development Certificate) as compared to a planning application. IT is an application in a formal way to verify from your local authority about your project which needs permission or not.

Maybe your local planning authority department removes some of the PD (permitted Development) Rights through issuing an Article 4. Hence, You have to submit a planning application. Before starting any of your project work, you should contact your local planning authority and share your project's details.

You can read more about PD( permitted Development) Rights on the official Planning Portal.