Permitted development rights are handy…. REALLY handy.  They are set out in their full glory in the Town and Country (General Permitted Development) (England) Order 2015. Yes, they look complicated to the untrained eye.  Never fear! The Government has also published some guidance to summarise these rights.

Most development will require planning permission but PD is development that already has permission granted – providing you meet certain conditions.  For household development, Part 1 of the GPDO is your friend.  For fences, walls, gates and new accesses, it’s Part 2.

Under these PD rights, you can:

• Extend (sometimes at first floor too if your plot is large)
• Build dormer windows
• Erect sheds and garden rooms
• Change your hipped roof to a gable roof
• Build a porch

Whilst it’s possible to do these works without making an application to the Council, it is advisable to get written confirmation from them that the works are PD.  That’s where we come in.  We can advise on what you can and can’t do to your property under its PD rights.  We can submit an application for this confirmation from the Council. But be careful… not all properties have PD rights as local planning authorities can remove them.  We can check this for you too before you go ahead with your project. And even if your property doesn’t have PD rights, we can still help you achieve its potential!

For an informal discussion on whether you can use PD rights to extend your home, contact us today!