Do I need planning permission?
What appears to be a simple question isn't straightforward for the Council to answer. We need to follow a number of regulations, complete history checks and consider various planning rules, and these take time and resources to carry out.
The Council has a number of services available to help provide the information.
There are several options to help you work out if you need planning permission:
Informal Verbal Advice
Our Duty Planner Service can provide informal, verbal advice and help for your project. You can find out about the Duty Planner Service here.
If you are looking for general advice about doing works to a Listed Building you can use our Heritage Duty Planner Service, available on a Thursday morning.
The Planning Portal can help you explore whether you need permission for a particular project. You are also able to find out about common householder projects, with mini-guides and case studies. They also have a host of interactive guides to planning rules relating to common projects and the planning laws that relate to them.
Written Response - Lawful Development Certificate
For peace of mind we highly recommend you apply for a Lawful Development Certificate (LDC). This is not the same as planning permission but is proof that your household building work is lawful. If you should later want to sell your property an LDC can help to answer queries raised by potential buyers or their legal representatives. As such, it is important that all paperwork and records relating to your property are clear and up to date.
As part of this process, we will check:
- if permitted development rights have been removed from your property,
- if your property falls within an Article 4 area or another restrictive designated area,
- and if your proposal falls within the parameters set by the General Permitted Development Order (regulations set by national government).
You can apply to your local council for an LDC using the Planning Portal - How to Apply service. You will have to pay a fee.