Planning Permission For Conservatories - England & Wales

To assist you when deciding whether to build a conservatory as an extension to your house, we have put together a guide to planning permission in England and Wales (Regulations in Scotland and Northern Ireland are different). However we would advise you to contact your local authority if you are unsure of whether your conservatory plans require planning permission, most local authorities are very helpful and can answer most questions quickly.

Overview of Planning Regulations

Planning permission is generally not required if your conservatory will add less than the permitted development limit to the property, this is generally 50 - 70 cubic metres depending on where you live. If your proeprty has previously been extended then this extension may count against the permitted development limit thus requiring you to seek planning permission.

There are some notable exceptions to this rule including listed buildings, areas of outstanding natural beauty and conservation ares. If these apply to your property then seek advice from your local authority planning department. It should be noted that just because a building is listed it doesn't prevent the building of a conservatory, it is just that in general the conservatory should be in keeping with the period of the property.

Additional Requirements

The following will items will require planning permission.

• For terraced houses, including end terrace, the extension can increase the size of the property by no more than 10%.
• For other kinds of houses the extension can increase the size of the property by no more than 15%.
• If the conservatory is nearer to a public highway than any part of the original house and would be less than 20 metres from that highway. (Highways include roadsm motorways, public footpaths and bridal ways).
• If the conservatory comses within 2 metres of the boundary of the property, if it is over 4 metres high.
• If the addition of the extension would cause more than half the land around to orginal house would be covered by additions or other buildings.
• The conservatory is higher than the highest point of the roofline of the original house.

Other Notes

In some areas of England and Wales areas of Special Control exist, these have been designated to protect historical or architectural values of a small area - in these areas planning permission will be required and will be hard to obtain

Farmhouses are not normally considered as domestic dwellings for purposes of planning permission.

Council house extensions require the permission of the local authority housing department, in addition to any planning permission requirements. (It should be noted that former council houses bought under the 'right to buy' legislation may also have restrictions imposed by the housing department - you will need to check if these exist for your house).