New regulations which came into force in October 2008 mean that householders are able to extend or add to their home without the need to apply for planning permission provided they meet a new set of limits and conditions. The new regime applies largely to the dimensions of the proposed extension, its position on the house and its proximity to the boundaries. There are notable exceptions to the new exemptions such as if a conservatory or single storey extension is more than 3 metres in depth for an attached house or 4 metres for a detached house it is not classed as permitted development and will require planning permission.

If your property has been extended in the past then you may have already used up some or all of your 'permitted development' area and you would need permission if the proposed extension exceeded it.

It may also be the case that 'permitted development' rights have been withdrawn from your property. This is often the case in new, compact housing developments. You will then need to apply for planning permission for any extension regardless of size.

Local authorities often have permissions in addition to the general householder planning permissions such as Estates Management Consent in Welwyn Garden City and Heritage Consent in Letchworth.

Furthermore, a different set of regulations will apply if your house is listed or built in a conservation area.

Paines always takes care to ascertain whether permission is needed when providing customers with a quotation. We will liaise with the planning department of your local council to provide you with a definitive answer as to whether you will require planning permission or not. If the answer is yes, the application process takes 8 weeks from submission and validation of the application.

As part of our service we will handle the application for you ensuring that it is processed as quickly and smoothly as possible. Acting as your agent, we will complete the necessary forms as well as providing detailed plans of the proposed project.

Building Regulations set standards for the design and construction of buildings ensuring health and safety standards are met as well as satisfying criteria such as ensuring fuel and power is conserved. The local authority oversees the building work, certifying that the work complies with Building Regulations. This is achieved through the submission of a building notice, detailed plans and through on-site inspections.

It is always the case that extensions and garage conversions will require building regulations approval however conservatories are normally exempt provided they meet a number of conditions, for example that the conservatory is separated from the house by an external door.

As with planning permission, our comprehensive knowledge and service sees Paines dealing with the local authority on your behalf to ensure all work is compliant.

For further information visit the Planning Portal www.planningportal.gov.uk - the UK Government’s online planning and building regulations resource for England and Wales.