A conservatory is a beautiful addition to any home, providing a tranquil retreat that brings the natural beauty of the garden indoors. But despite their undoubted appeal, conservatories require some careful consideration and planning.
One of the things many prospective conservatory owners wonder is whether they’ll need planning permission from the local authorities.
If you’re one of those who’s considering treating yourself to a conservatory, but you’re worried that planning permission requirements might scupper your plans, here’s all the info you need.
What Is Planning Permission?
Planning permission is a request to the local authorities to have construction work carried out which is a requirement for some types of building work. If planning permission is required, then the work cannot be carried out until the request has been granted.
The good news is, in most cases you won’t need planning permission to have a conservatory built. Although larger extensions, reconstructions and new builds will usually require planning permission, conservatories don’t fall under the same legislation because in most cases they’re allowed under ‘permitted development rights’.
What Is Permitted Development?
Permitted development rights are your protected rights as a homeowner to change or extend your property without the need for permission.
For those looking to have a conservatory built who are worrying about planning permission, it should be reassuring to know that conservatories are usually covered by permitted development rights.
That being said, keep in mind that in some instances, the local authority may have removed some of your permitted development rights. This is done by issuing an ‘Article 4’ direction and it means you’ll have to submit a planning application for work that wouldn’t normally require one.
With this in mind, if you’re in any doubt then it’s probably best to check with the local authority just to make sure. But in most cases you shouldn’t usually have anything to worry about with regards to planning permission – as long as your conservatory meets specific requirements.
Size Limits
In order to build your conservatory under the permitted development rights, it must not exceed certain size limits. These include both the size of the conservatory, and the percentage of land it’ll be covering.
The current rules state that a single-story conservatory must not extend beyond the rear wall by more than 3 metres for terraced or semi-detached properties, or 4 metres for detached houses.
Likewise, your conservatory must not cover more than 50 per cent of the land around your house.
So as long as your conservatory meets these requirements, you’re usually free to have one built without the need for planning permission.
When Planning Permission May Be Required
Although you’ll usually be permitted to build your conservatory under permitted development rights, there are some situations where you must still apply for planning permission.
If you’re planning to build a two-storey conservatory, for instance, then you’ll need to make a request to the local authority. Likewise, if your property is a listed building or you’re located within a conservation area, different rules may apply.
Another reason you may need planning permission is if your conservatory is being built on the front of your house. While this is rare, some people choose to build at the front of their property rather than at the back, and this would usually require permission as it could affect the appearance of the street scene.
In any of these above situations, always speak to your local authority before starting any building work.
Building Regulations
Now we’ve covered planning permission, it’s probably a good idea to touch on building regulations, too.
Although you might not require conservatory planning permission, that’s not to say your conservatory mustn’t adhere to building regs. These are regulations set out by the UK government and they’re in place to make sure any building work is safe and fit for purpose. They cover key areas such as structural integrity, insulation, and energy efficiency.
Like planning permission, some conservatories are exempt from building regulations. But again, to be exempt, a conservatory must meet certain requirements and the need for building regs will depend on the specifics of the conservatory.
If you’re having a conservatory installed by a team of professionals, building regs aren’t something you’ll need to worry about. Assuming you’re hiring a team of professionals, they’ll take care of all that and make sure your conservatory complies with all health and safety requirements.
So that pretty much covers planning permission for conservatories. In most cases you won’t usually require this, although in some situations it may be necessary.