Do I Need Planning Permission?

Navigating planning permission can be daunting and confusing. There are a lot of complex rules surrounding planning permission: what you can and can’t build and this changes depending on where you live and the type of house you live in.

We've created a series of guides for planning permission that relate to specific home improvement projects, such as conservatories, bi-fold doors and windows.

Also, scroll down the page to see a few surprising projects that you might not realise you do need planning permission for, such as decking, fences and front garden paving.

Apart from planning permission, you also need to be aware of building regulations. Scroll down the page to see our guides.

What is planning permission?

Planning permission is a set of guidelines and rules for what you can and can't build, or make alterations to on your property.

Your Local Planning Authority may grant planning permission to complete work following a detailed application.

To apply for planning permission, you must submit a set of detailed plans to be approved. Once you obtain permission, you can only build what has been approved and any changes to the original plans must be resubmitted.

There are a few types of planning permission to be aware of:

• Full planning permission is granted on the basis of detailed plans and the project must meet the specification and design to be valid.
• Householder planning permission is a simplified process for homeowners that wish to make changes to their property for any works to alter or extend a house within the boundaries of their property.
• Outline planning permission is used to consider if a project is viable as permission in principle. Outline permission does not give you consent to begin any works and you must then specify the ‘reserved matters’ to gain full approval.
• Reserved Matters is a part-application only submitted after outline planning permission has been approved. If anything has changed from the original outline then a new full planning application must be submitted.

Before you start any building or home improvement work on your property, always check with your Local Planning Authority (LPA) to confirm if you need planning permission. Rules do change over time and there can be locally specific rules that apply.

How long does planning permission take?

Most planning permission applications are decided within 8 weeks. The time limit for complex applications is 13 weeks (in England).

However, you might be required to resubmit your applications or parts of the application.

How long does planning permission last?

Unless otherwise stated, or is conditional, planning permission expires after three years when you will have to reapply.

Planning permission is attached to the land and not the applicant; therefore, buildings and land can be sold with planning permission.

Once you have planning permission in place, it can be possible to make small changes. These can be submitted by a non-material amendment application.

How much does planning permission cost?

A Householder Application and a Full Application for a single property, for alteration and extension is £206.

A Full Application for a new build property is £462 per house (under 50 houses).

Outline application for a site area less than 2.5 hectares is £462 for each 0.01 hectare.

Prior Approval for a larger home extension is £96.

Note this is an application fee and doesn't guarantee you will get planning permission. Resubmissions also require a fee.

Don’t forget that as part of your planning permission application process, you will need architectural drawings. These will add several thousand pounds depending on the size of the house and the project details.

Building regulations approval is set by the individual Local Planning Authority and can vary. Read a full list of fees for Planning Permission here.

8 projects that need planning permission (surprisingly)

1. HEDGES

   You don't need permission to plant a hedge but they can be controlled through planning conditions. If the height of a hedge adversely affects a neighbour they fall under the Anti-social Behaviour Act 2003 and you can be subject to a formal notice from the local authority.

2. TREES

   You don't need planning permission but many trees are protected by a preservation order and you will need council approval to prune or cut them down.

3. ANTENNA

   If you install more than two antennae on the property, or a single antenna is more than 1 metre tall or wide (the second more than 0.6 metres). Or, if attached to a chimney and is more than 0.6 metres above a chimney stack.

4. ADVERTS AND SIGNAGE

   Advertisement consent may be required for an advertisement (not estate agent boards) bigger than 0.3 square metres - or any size if illuminated - outside your property.

5. DECKING

   If your decking is more than 30cm off the ground or in combination with other extensions is more than 50 percent of the garden.

6. WORKING FROM HOME

   If your home is no longer mainly a private residence; if more people will be calling at your property; if you are operating at unreasonable hours; or, if creating any nuisance such as smells or noise.

7. FRONT GARDEN PAVING

   For an area more than 5 square metres of impermeable material with no provision for water to run off into a permeable area.

8. FENCES

   For a fence over 1 metre next to a highway, or over 2 metres elsewhere. If the fence borders onto a listed building or its grounds.

Data from an Everest independent survey of 400 people who had applied for planning permission in the last five years.

If your application is refused, you can try to negotiate with the LPA or appeal the decision.

More Information

• Read a more detailed explanation on the technicalities of permitted development rights for householders here.
• Read more information about building regulations here.
• The information provided above is taken from government guidelines at from the Planning Portal and Gov.uk and is a guide only and is not a source of legal information.

Information is correct at time of publication: Updated May 2023.

Planning rules are subject to change. Always seek approval from your local planning authority before starting any building work.