The Planning Portal provides infornation and useful tools for householders on whether you will need planning permission. You can also visit the UK Planning website to find out more information.

Work You Can Carry Out Without Permission

The following information provides general guidance on minor domestic works which can normally be carried out without planning permission. However, professional advice should always be sought before carrying out any works as the regulations are complex. Particular care must be taken if the house is a listed building, within a conservation area or is in an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB). For example, within a conservation area or AONB , no cladding of any part of the exterior with stone, artificial stone, timber, plastic or tiles, can be carried out. View our Listed Buildings webpage for further advice.

Extensions and other alterations - planning permission may not be required providing:

• The extension is less than 70 m³ or 15% of the volume of the original house, whichever is the greater. If the house is in a terrace or a conservation area or an AONB , the limit is 50 m³ or 10% when measured around the outside. If the house has been extended before, the volume of this must be added to the new work and, together, be less than the limit. In both cases an overall maximum of 115 metres applies.
• The extension does not project above the highest part of the original house roof.
• No part of the extension is within 20 metres of any highway. However, if the original house is less than 20 metres from a highway, any extension must not be nearer the highway than the original house.
• No part of any extension, within two metres of a boundary, is more than four metres high.
• The total area of such building does not exceed one-half of the garden area.
• Planning permission is not required for the painting of exteriors providing it is not for the purpose of advertisement, announcement or direction, or a listed building.

Calculating the volume of a building or extension is not easy. It is important to get it right if you are deciding whether planning permission will be needed. To help you we have provided a handy Volume Calculator.

Please view the following webpages for advice and guidance on...

• Advert Control
• Change of Use
• Garden Work
• Roofs and Porches
• Satellite Dishes and Aerials