Other restrictions you need to check before building an Orangery
Original house
Planning guidelines refer to the 'original house' and it's important to understand what this means as it can make a big difference. The 'original house' is the dwelling as it was on the 1st July 1948, or if the house was built after this date, as it was when it was first built.
You'll need to find out if any extensions or additions have been made to the house after this date (or when it was built) as they will count towards where your Orangery can be positioned.
For example, if you live in a detached house and a five-metre extension was built to the back of the house in 1962, then your new Orangery could only extend less than three metres to rear of the house.
Restrictive covenant
When you purchased your house, the solicitor will have informed you of any covenants for the property. These are restrictions put in place by a previous owner that can stop you from any development or building work on the property or the surrounding land.
If you've got a covenant, you might not be able to build an Orangery and are best to seek legal advice. It's worth noting that not all covenants can be legally upheld, depending on how they were drafted and worded, so a good solicitor could help you to get the covenant lifted.
Listed buildings
If you live in a listed building, you'll be aware that you have restrictions to any development or building work you can do to the property.
You have to seek listed building consent for an Orangery to be added to a listed property.
Designated land
In addition to listed buildings, if you live in a Conservation Area, National Parks, Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty or World Heritage Site, then you're also subject to restriction on what you can do to your property.
This doesn't mean you can't build your Orangery, but you'll have to seek approval from the authority (e.g. national park) and there are rules such as:
- You can't clad any part of the Orangery or your house
- An Orangery to the side of the house doesn't fall into permitted development and would need planning permission