Extending Without Planning Permission

Trying to get planning permission for an extension is something that most people treat as a real problem. It doesn't have to be, unless there are some really draconian regulations in your area, but there are quite a few things you can do to create extra space that don't need planning permission anyway.

Don't Forget Building Regulations

Note that not needing planning permission doesn't necessarily mean you can go ahead and do whatever you want without getting the local planning authority involved. Building regulations must still be followed and there are two ways of doing this.

The first, if you are doing it all yourself, is to get the building control inspector round to check the work, although you do have to pay for that. The second is to use qualified builders and tradesmen who are allowed to self-certify their work.

Extending Within Limits

Many householders can actually build a single-storey extension or conservatory of a certain size without planning permission. If the house hasn't been extended since 1947 (if it's an old house) or since it was built, then you can extend to a certain size anyway.

Currently the limit is seventy cubic metres, roughly the size of a single garage, or fifteen per cent of the total volume. It must be less than four metres high at the ridge (for a sloping roof) or three metres high if it is a flat roof. The rules on permitted extensions in the UK are changing though, and there are other limitations too, so make sure you check with the up-to-date regulations with your local planning authority before you start building.

Outbuildings

As long as you don't cover more than half your garden, there are no limits to the number or size of outbuildings you can put up. The same height restrictions apply as above, and they must be at least five metres from the house. This allows you to put up buildings to be used as home offices, studios, games rooms, workshops, self-contained accommodation; whatever you want.

You must continue to use your house and outbuildings as one dwelling though, and there may be specific restrictions if you live in a Conservation Area, Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) or some other area with development restrictions. Again it's best to check with the planning authority before you begin the building phase, just in case.

Going Up in the World

There's a great deal you can do with the roof space without needing planning permission. A completely internal loft conversion, one that doesn't need the roof to be extended, shouldn't be a problem at all. Flat rooflights like Velux windows can also be used although here you may need to check restrictions; quite often they are permitted on the back of the roof but not the street frontage.

If you need to extend your roof space to make a decent loft conversion there are options here too. Pushing the roof out to create headroom or adding dormer windows is fine without planning permission as long as the extra space created is less than forty square metres for a terraced house or fifty square metres for any other type of house.

Garage Conversions

Finally, any internal changes are fine, at least from a planning permission point of view. This is usually taken to mean projects like knocking down an internal wall or putting in an en suite bathroom. Those are of course valuable if they are what you want but aren't extending the living space.

But there's another way to use this restriction – any attached buildings are treated as internal space. This means that converting a garage or other attached outbuildings into internal space won’t need planning permission.

Armed with all this information take a new look at your home and garden to see where you might be able to give yourself more space without having to bother your planning authority.