Detailed planning permission guide

Do I need planning permission?

There is no reliable answer based on the project name alone. The route depends on what you propose, where the property is, what kind of property it is and whether local restrictions apply.

Start the detailed check Find your authority

Interactive starting check

Answer five questions about your project.

The wizard uses your answers to point you towards the checks most likely to apply. It is only a starting point and does not replace a planning-authority decision, professional advice or formal certification.

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Location

Where is the property or land?

Planning rules and permitted-development rights differ across the UK.

Search common projects

Find the work you have in mind.

Search and filter 33 common home, energy, access, commercial and rural projects. Choose a project to see whether planning permission is usually needed and which maps may help.

Search common projectsFilter by category

Showing 33 of 33 common projects

Home alterations

Extension

Planning permission and building regulations may both need checking.

Open the detailed permission guide →Home alterations

Conservatory

A conservatory is normally assessed under the same planning principles as an extension.

Open the detailed permission guide →Roof and upper floors

Loft conversion

Internal conversion and external roof enlargement can follow different routes.

Open the detailed permission guide →Roof and upper floors

Dormer or roof extension

Position, roof volume, height and designated land can affect the route.

Open the detailed permission guide →Roof and upper floors

Additional storey

Full planning or a specific prior-approval route may apply to upward extensions.

Open the detailed permission guide →Home alterations

Porch

Size, height and proximity to a highway or boundary are relevant.

Open the detailed permission guide →Home alterations

Doors and windows

Like-for-like work differs from material alterations, listed-building work or changes in protected areas.

Open the detailed permission guide →Home alterations

External cladding or render

Materials, appearance, building type and location can change the answer.

Open the detailed permission guide →Home alterations

Balcony or raised platform

Privacy, height and external appearance make an authority check important.

Open the detailed permission guide →Garden and boundaries

Garden room

Use, height, position and land coverage all matter.

Open the detailed permission guide →Garden and boundaries

Garage or carport

A detached building and an attached addition may follow different rules.

Open the detailed permission guide →Garden and boundaries

Shed or greenhouse

Domestic incidental use, height and siting are key checks.

Open the detailed permission guide →Garden and boundaries

Decking or raised terrace

Height, overlooking and privacy effects can be important.

Open the detailed permission guide →Garden and boundaries

Fence, wall or gate

Height, highway position, listed status and local restrictions matter.

Open the detailed permission guide →Garden and boundaries

Swimming pool

Indoor, outdoor and enclosed pools can have different planning and building-control implications.

Open the detailed permission guide →Access and parking

Dropped kerb

Highway approval is separate from the planning question.

Open the detailed permission guide →Access and parking

Driveway or hardstanding

Drainage, surfacing and access arrangements need checking.

Open the detailed permission guide →Energy and services

Electric vehicle charger

Location, height, listed status and electrical requirements may apply.

Open the detailed permission guide →Energy and services

Solar panels

Roof, ground-mounted and non-domestic installations have different considerations.

Open the detailed permission guide →Energy and services

Heat pump

Position, equipment size, noise and neighbouring installations can affect the route.

Open the detailed permission guide →Energy and services

Wind turbine

Height, rotor size, siting and cumulative equipment require careful checking.

Open the detailed permission guide →Energy and services

Chimney, flue or vent

Height and position on the roof or wall can be relevant.

Open the detailed permission guide →Use and conversions

Garage conversion

Internal work may differ from external alterations or a separate dwelling use.

Open the detailed permission guide →Use and conversions

Working from home

A material change in the character or intensity of use may require permission.

Open the detailed permission guide →Use and conversions

Short-term letting

The answer can depend on location, intensity, planning history and the relevant UK nation.

Open the detailed permission guide →Use and conversions

Commercial change of use

Use classes, material change and any permitted-development route must be checked.

Open the detailed permission guide →Development and construction

Demolition

Permission, prior approval, conservation controls or listed-building consent may apply.

Open the detailed permission guide →Development and construction

New house

A new dwelling normally requires a full planning application and coordinated drawings.

Open the detailed permission guide →Development and construction

Self-build home

Land, access, design, servicing, policy and site constraints all need assessment.

Open the detailed permission guide →Rural development

Agricultural building

Full planning, agricultural permitted development or prior approval may apply.

Open the detailed permission guide →Rural development

Barn conversion

Existing use, structural works, proposed use and any prior-approval route need checking.

Open the detailed permission guide →Business and other

Advertisement or sign

Advertisement consent can apply separately from planning permission.

Open the detailed permission guide →Business and other

Tree work

Protected trees and conservation areas have separate notification or consent rules.

Open the detailed permission guide →

Common projects in more detail

What to check for nine common projects.

House extension

Possible route: Permission may not be required when the work falls wholly within the relevant householder permitted-development rules.

Check carefully: Overall size, height, projection, boundary position, materials, previous extensions and whether the home is a house or a flat.

Open the related planning-map guide →

Loft conversion or roof alteration

Possible route: Internal loft work may differ from enlarging or materially altering the roof.

Check carefully: Dormers, roof height, front or highway-facing slopes, volume limits, designated land and listed status.

Open the related planning-map guide →

Garden room, garage or shed

Possible route: Some domestic outbuildings can be permitted development when they are genuinely incidental to the house.

Check carefully: Height, position, land coverage, sleeping accommodation, commercial use and whether it sits within the proper residential curtilage.

Open the related planning-map guide →

Dropped kerb, driveway or hard surface

Possible route: The planning position and highway consent are separate questions.

Check carefully: Road classification, drainage, surfacing, boundary treatment, visibility and the highway authority’s crossover process.

Open the related planning-map guide →

Solar panels, heat pumps or plant

Possible route: Some installations have permitted-development rights subject to location, size and impact limits.

Check carefully: Listed buildings, conservation areas, roof position, equipment dimensions, noise and separate technical approvals.

Open the related planning-map guide →

New dwelling

Possible route: A new house or separate dwelling normally needs a planning application.

Check carefully: Access, principle of development, design, drainage, ecology, landscape, servicing and the authority’s validation list.

Open the related planning-map guide →

Change of use

Possible route: Permission depends on whether the change is material and whether a specific permitted-development route applies.

Check carefully: Existing lawful use, proposed use, intensity, traffic, noise, operational land and any prior-approval requirements.

Open the related planning-map guide →

Agricultural or rural building

Possible route: The route may be full planning, prior approval or agricultural permitted development.

Check carefully: Agricultural use, holding, floorspace, siting, access, design, landscape effects and protected features.

Open the related planning-map guide →

Fence, wall or gate

Possible route: Some boundary treatments can be installed without a planning application.

Check carefully: Height, position beside a highway, listed-building curtilage, visibility and restrictive conditions.

Open the related planning-map guide →

Property and location restrictions

Why two similar projects can have different answers.

Permitted-development rights do not apply identically to every building or site. Check the property record and local designations before relying on a general guide.

Listed building

Listed building consent is separate from planning permission and can cover internal as well as external work.

Conservation area

Additional controls may apply to demolition, trees and alterations affecting local character.

National park or protected landscape

Some permitted-development rights are more restricted and design or landscape context is especially important.

Article 4 direction

The authority may have withdrawn specified permitted-development rights in a defined area.

Condition on an earlier permission

A condition attached to the property’s original or later permission can remove or limit development rights.

Flat or maisonette

Many householder permitted-development rights relate to dwellinghouses and do not extend to flats in the same way.

Lease, title or covenant

Private restrictions do not decide planning permission, but they may still prevent or control the work.

Protected trees or wildlife

Tree consent, protected-species licensing or ecological evidence may be needed independently of planning permission.

Understand the possible routes

“No full application” does not always mean “nothing to do”.

Full planning application

The authority considers the proposal against relevant planning policies and material considerations. Maps, drawings and supporting information are normally required.

Permitted development

The work relies on a national permission and must comply with every relevant limitation and condition. Keep evidence showing why the project qualifies.

Prior approval

Some permitted-development routes require an application or notification so the authority can assess specified matters before work begins.

Other consent or approval

Listed-building consent, advertisement consent, tree consent, highway approval, building regulations or another regime may apply separately.

How to obtain greater certainty

Match the evidence to the level of risk.

Initial researchRead current national and authority guidance and check planning history, designations and property type.
Planning-authority enquiryUse the authority’s published enquiry or pre-application service where the facts do not lead to a clear answer.
Professional adviceA planning consultant, architect or appropriate legal adviser can assess complex development, use and enforcement questions.
Formal certificate or decisionWhere certainty matters, ask the authority which formal certificate or determination procedure is available in that UK nation.

Keep copies of the drawings, measurements, photographs, guidance and decisions relied upon. The permission question should be resolved against a clearly defined proposal—not a description that changes during construction.

Official starting points

Use guidance for the correct nation.

Planning law and permitted-development rules change. Check the current official material and the authority responsible for the site.

England and WalesGOV.UK: when planning permission is needed ↗Scotlandmygov.scot: getting planning permission ↗Your local areaFind your planning-authority guide →

If an application or certificate is needed

Prepare the right map and drawing pack.

A permission decision is about a defined site and proposal. Clear, consistent drawings help the authority understand exactly what is being assessed.

Location planUsually 1:1,250 or 1:2,500, showing the application site in its wider context with the correct boundary.Location plan guide →

Block or site planUsually 1:200 or 1:500, showing buildings, boundaries, access and the proposed work.Block plan guide →

Architectural drawingsExisting and proposed floor plans, elevations, roof plans or sections as required for the project.Complete drawing guide →

Supporting informationStatements, surveys, assessments or photographs requested by the authority’s current validation list.Submission checklist →

Create your planning map ↗See current prices and available formats ↗ Questions? 01856 898 022.

Detailed answers

Planning permission questions

Does permitted development mean no permission exists?

No. Permitted development is a national grant of planning permission for specified work, subject to limitations and conditions. It means a full planning application may not be needed when the proposal complies.

Is prior approval the same as a planning application?

No. Prior approval is a separate procedure used by some permitted-development classes. The authority considers only the matters specified for that route, but approval or notification may still be required before work starts.

Can my planning authority confirm the answer by telephone?

A conversation can be helpful but may not provide formal certainty. Ask what written pre-application, permitted-development enquiry or certificate route is available.

What is a lawful development certificate?

In England, it is a formal decision about whether an existing or proposed use or operation is lawful. It is not the same as planning permission, and other UK nations use their own procedures and terminology.

Do I need planning permission and building regulations approval?

Possibly both. They address different matters. A project can avoid a planning application but still require building-regulations approval, and the reverse can also occur.

What happens if work starts without the required permission?

The planning authority can investigate and may take enforcement action. Obtain project-specific advice promptly rather than assuming a retrospective application will resolve the position.

Will I need a location plan if I apply?

A planning application commonly requires a location plan. Many proposals also need a block or site plan plus existing and proposed architectural drawings.

Professional help with planning

Need more help with your planning application?

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