If you’re planning to add a conservatory to your home, then the same set of planning rules apply as they would for any other home extension.
These rules, or permitted development rights, enable you to extend your house without having to apply for planning permission if you meet specific limitations and conditions. If you intend to exceed these, then you will be required to apply for householder planning permission.
Planning permission is not needed in these circumstances
You don’t need planning permission if your proposed conservatory:
- Does not exceed four metres in height and is no higher than the roof of your property.
- Does not front or obstruct a public road.
- Does not cover more than half of the land area of the original house.
- Does not include a balcony, veranda or raised platform.
- Does not extend more than four metres – for a detached house.
- Does not extend more than three metres – for a non-detached house.
If your proposed conservatory is less than three metres high, it can be built to the edge of the boundary at the side and back of your property – as long as it doesn’t cover more than 50% of the area around the house.
Planning permission is required in these circumstances
You will be required to apply for planning permission if:
- More than half of the land around your original house will be covered (this includes any other buildings).
- The extension is forward of the front or side of the original house that faces onto a road.
- The conservatory is:
- Higher than the highest point of the roof.
- The eaves and ridge height are higher than the existing house (single-storey and two-storey).
- The eaves height is more than three metres, if within two metres of the boundary.
You may require planning permission if you live in a listed building, designated area or fall under an Article 4 Direction.
When building regulations won’t apply
Building regulations generally apply if you want to build an extension to your home. However, your conservatory will be exempt from building regulations if:
- It is built at ground level and is less than 30 square metres in floor area.
- It is separated from the house by external quality walls, doors or windows.
- The glazing and any fixed electrical installations comply with the applicable building regulations requirements.
When building regulations will apply
In the following circumstances, building regulations will be applicable:
- Any new structural opening between the conservatory and the existing house will require building regulations approval, even if the conservatory itself is an exempt structure.
- If you plan to have an open-plan conservatory, then building regulation approval is needed. To obtain permission, you’ll need to prove that the conservatory space you’ve added to an existing room is as energy efficient as the rest of the house.
You are also advised not to construct conservatories where they’ll restrict ladder access to windows serving rooms in roof or loft conversions. This is particularly relevant if any of the windows are intended to help escape or rescue if there is a fire.
Would you like advice on your new conservatory?
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