o/t - Planning Permission (not Falmer!)

[timbha]

anyone know if you need planning permission for converting roof space into a room with skylights, ie converting "storage" area into "living" area?

 

[Barrel of Fun]

Altering your roof, ie Skylight, needs planning permission, I'm afraid. I hope you don't have any old nimbys in your vicinity.

Acutally, ignore that. I was thinking of a bay window type 'window' which classifies as an extension. You don't always need one for a skylight, unless of course you live in a listed building (which goes without saying).

You may need to apply for planning permission for the skylight, if your council has made an Article 4 Direction withdrawing permitted development rights.

 

[timbha]

Altering your roof, ie Skylight, needs planning permission, I'm afraid. I hope you don't have any old nimbys in your vicinity.

Acutally, ignore that. I was thinking of a bay window type 'window' which classifies as an extension. You don't need one for a skylight, unless of course you live in a listed building (which goes without saying).

Cheers BoF. All I am thinking of doing is changing our wasted roof space into a spare room with a couple of skylights. Luckily I live in neither the LDC region nor a listed building!

 

[Starry]

You don't always need planning permission. We're just starting some building works.

You need to get permission if you live in a conservation area, your home is a listed building, the work will go above the current height of your house, any dormer window will overlook a neighbour, you have a previous extension taking your home to it's development limit, any dormer window will face a road.

There were other reasons but those are the ones I remember off the top of my head.

We ended up needing permission (the dormer windows) but it went through with no bother.

 

[SussexHoop]

Beg to differ cos I think it depends ... you are entitled to a certain amount of development on your property (70 cubic metres?) before planning permission is required. If nothing has been done to your house since it was built (or post-war if it's pre-war) and it's within the guidelines, you don't need planning permission but you will need building regs.

 

[Barrel of Fun]

Check out to see if they have withdrawn permitted development rights. That should be on their website.

www.???????.gov.uk


I might be wrong as I haven't studied planning for a few years now.

I have just been looking at my notes and you may have to seek advice from the council, if your new windows overlook your neighbours property, due to privacy etc.

I read you can add up 20% of the value of your house, by converting the roof space. Good luck Timbha.

 

[timbha]

You don't always need planning permission. We're just starting some building works.

You need to get permission if you live in a conservation area, your home is a listed building, the work will go above the current height of your house, any dormer window will overlook a neighbour, you have a previous extension taking your home to it's development limit, any dormer window will face a road.

There were other reasons but those are the ones I remember off the top of my head.

We ended up needing permission (the dormer windows) but it went through with no bother.

thanks Starry. Other than exceeding the development limit (we had permission) we should be ok. No worries about getting approval other than the time it takes, however in some circumstance I believe you can start the work without it.

 

[Franks Wild Years]

I hope you don't because I'm doing this at the moment. I;m doing it on building notice. You basically let the council know what you plan to do and stick to building reg's and the building inspector ok's it.
I think that planning permission is only reguired if you are changing the overall size (volume)of your house or if you live in a conservation area. Check out your local council building departements web site, they should have all the info you need.
There are also building companies who specialise in lofts and they will do all drawings and deal with the inspector etc for you.
If you're not up on building stuff its a good idea because they know exactly how to aproach the job and already have a relationship with their local inspector. They can be bloody jobs worths.
Any way good luck and feel free to PM me if you need to know more.

 

[timbha]

thanks everyone - all good advice gratefully received.

Another first class service from NSC!!!

 

[Barrel of Fun]

http://www.planningportal.gov.uk/england/genpub/en/1011888239467.html

This should help, as well. You should contact you citizens advice bureau if you are still unsure.

I work for a housing consultancy company and if you want any advice PM me, and I can ask about as we have some planning experts etc. People that have studied it in much more detail than the likes of me.

 

[timbha]

http://www.planningportal.gov.uk/england/genpub/en/1011888239467.html

This should help, as well. You should contact you citizens advice bureau if you are still unsure.

I work for a housing consultancy company and if you want any advice PM me, and I can ask about as we have some planning experts etc. People that have studied it in much more detail than the likes of me.

useful website, thanks - hopefully it's regarded as "internal alterations" so we won't need PP. My builder is up on what's needed, etc and will look after us, I just wanted to get an idea of what is/isn't needed before I contact him.

 

[Barrel of Fun]

NB I wasn't saying any of you are not planning experts. I think anyone reading this website knows more about planning than half of the governmental planning department.

 

[Lord Bracknell]

Phone your local council's planning department and explain what you want to do. Ask them if you need planning permission.

My experience (even in Lewes) is that they are very helpful. Getting it wrong will present you with a huge nightmare.

 

[Gully]

This is also of interest to me as I went to a solicitor last week to sign all the paperwork to move home. The place I am going to has an attic room, there are proper stairs going up to it, nothing like a loft with just a ladder, there is also a small skylight and a window in the wall at one end. My plan was to have work done on the roof and at the same time get two velux windows put in, facing towards the rear of the property. The room could then be used as either a bedroom or recreation room/office (home cinema).

I asked the solicitor about this type of work and his advice was to consult the local council before doing anything, they would probably send a building inspector round who could assess the planned work and determine whether formal planning need be applied for. As a word of caution, the solicitor mentioned a case not far from where I now live where someone converted their attic for use as a bedroom then tried to sell the house. A potential buyer approached the council to find out if planning consent had been given, none had been applied for and the vendor was made to restore the house to its original condition. I was warned that the major concern of the planning department is safety, you may need to prove that there is an approved method of escape in case of fire.