Building and Planning

I want to build an extension on to my property. Can I do this?

I want to build an extension on to my property. Can I do this?

It depends – main issue is planning consent: first determine if the work you are doing does require planning consent for it may fall within permitted development rights.  You will definitely need to apply for planning consent if any of the following are true:

 
  1. The extension will be nearer to a public road or footpath  than the nearest part of the original house (original building or as it stood on 1st July 1948).
  2. More than 50% of the total area around the original house would be covered in additions
  3. The extension will be higher than the highest part of the roof to the original building
  4. The extension will be more than 4 metres in height and within 2 metres of the property boundary
  5. For a terraced house or a house within a National Park, Conservation Area or Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty: if the volume of the original house will increase by more than 10% or 50 cubic metres, whichever is the greater.        For any other house if the volume of the original house will increase by more than 15% or 70 cubic metres, whichever is the greater

For any increase of more than 115 cubic metres

  1. If the property is listed or in a conservation area
 

If any of these statements are true then you will need to apply for planning consent – even if they are not true then the planning conditions for your area may limit what you can do without consent.  If you have any doubt then you should always check with the council.  If you get it wrong you could end up having to apply for retrospective planning consent – if this were refused you could end up having to demolish the extension

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