Permitted Development Rights for Householders: Technical Guidance
Householders can carry out various types of development to their homes without the need for planning permission. This post goes summarises these permitted developments,
Class A - Enlargement, Improvement or Alterations
Class A covers the enlargement, improvement or alterations to a house such as rear or side extensions as well as general alterations such as new windows and doors.
Rear Extensions
There is a neighbour consultation scheme for larger rear extensions.
Side Extensions
Two-storey Extensions
Class B - Additions etc. to the Roof
Class B covers additions or alterations to roofs which enlarge the house such as loft conversions involving dormer windows.
The following limits and conditions apply:
The additions or alterations not must not:
exceed the height of the highest part of the existing roof,
extend beyond the plane of any existing roof slope which forms the principal elevation of the house and fronts a highway,
exceed the cubic content of the original roof space by more than 40 cubic metres in the case of a terrace house, or 50 cubic metres in any other case, or
consist of or include the construction or provision of a verandah, balcony or raised platform, or the installation, alteration or replacement of a chimney, flue or soil and vent pipe.
In addition to the above:
The materials used in any exterior work shall be of a similar appearance to those used in the construction of the exterior of the existing dwellinghouse.
The enlargement shall be constructed so that–
Other than in the case of a hip-to-gable enlargement or an enlargement which joins the original roof to the roof of a rear or side extension–
The eaves of the original roof are maintained or reinstated; and
The edge of the enlargement closest to the eaves of the original roof shall, so far as practicable, be not less than 0.2 metres from the eaves, measured along the roof slope from the outside edge of the eaves; and
Other than in the case of an enlargement which joins the original roof to the roof of a rear or side extension, no part of the enlargement extends beyond the outside face of any external wall of the original dwellinghouse.
Any window inserted on a wall or roof slope forming a side elevation of the dwellinghouse shall be-
Oscure-glazed, and
Non-opening unless the parts of the window which can be opened are more than 1.7 metres above the floor of the room in which the window is installed.
Class C - Other Alterations to the Roof
Class C covers other alterations to roofs such as re-roofing or the installation of roof lights/windows.
The alterations must not:
Protrude more than 0.15 metres beyond the plane of the slope of the original roof when measured from the perpendicular with the external surface of the original roof.
Result in the highest part of the alteration being higher than the highest part of the original roof.
Consist of or include-
The installation, alteration or replacement of a chimney, flue or soil and vent pipe, or
The installation, alteration or replacement of solar photovoltaics or solar thermal equipment.
In addition to the above:
Any window located on a roof slope forming a side elevation of the dwellinghouse shall be-
Obscure-glazed; and
Non-opening unless the parts of the window which can be opened are more than 1.7 metres above the floor of the room in which the window is installed.
Class D - Porches
Class D covers the erection of a porch outside an external door.
The erection of a porch is not permitted where:
The ground area of the structure (measured externally) would exceed 3 square metres.
Any part of the structure would be more than 3 metres above ground level.
Any part of the structure would be within 2 metres of any boundary of the curtilage of the dwellinghouse with a highway.
Class E - Buildings etc.
Class E covers the provision of buildings and other development within the curtilage of the house.
Under Class E, the following limits and conditions apply. Development is not permitted if–
The total area of ground covered by buildings, enclosures and containers within the curtilage (other than the original dwellinghouse) would exceed 50% of the total area of the curtilage (excluding the ground area of the original dwellinghouse).
Any part of the building, enclosure, pool or container would be situated on land forward of a wall forming the principal elevation of the original dwellinghouse.
The building would have more than a single storey.
The height of the building, enclosure or container would exceed-
4 metres in the case of a building with a dual-pitched roof,
2.5 metres in the case of a building, enclosure or container within 2 metres of the boundary of the curtilage of the dwellinghouse, or
3 metres in any other case.
The height of the eaves of the building would exceed 2.5 metres.
The building, enclosure, pool or container would be situated within the curtilage of a listed building.
It would include the construction or provision of a verandah, balcony or raised platform.
It relates to a dwelling or a microwave antenna.
The capacity of the container would exceed 3,500 litres.
In the case of any land within the curtilage of the dwellinghouse which is within a World Heritage Site, a National Park, an area of outstanding natural beauty or the Broads, development is not permitted by Class E if the total area of ground covered by buildings, enclosures, pools and containers situated more than 20 metres from any wall of the dwellinghouse would exceed 10 square metres.
In the case of any land within the curtilage of the dwellinghouse which is article 2(3) land, development is not permitted by Class E if any part of the building, enclosure, pool or container would be situated on land between a wall forming a side elevation of the dwellinghouse and the boundary of the curtilage of the dwellinghouse.
Class F - Hard Surfaces
Class F covers the provision of hard surfaces within the curtilage of the house such as driveways.
This provides permitted development rights within the curtilage of a house for the provision of a hard surface for any purpose incidental to the enjoyment of the dwellinghouse as such or the replacement in whole or in part of such a surface.
Development is permitted by Class F subject to the condition that where-
the hard surface would be situated on land between a wall forming the principal elevation of the dwellinghouse and a highway, and
the area of ground covered by the hard surface, or the area of hard surface replaced, would exceed 5 square metres,
either the hard surface shall be made of porous materials, or provision shall be made to direct run-off water from the hard surface to a permeable or porous area or surface within the curtilage of the dwellinghouse.
Class G - Chimneys, Flues, etc.
Class G covers the installation, alteration, or replacement of a chimney, flue or soil and vent pipe.
Development is not permitted by Class G if-
the height of the chimney, flue or soil and vent pipe would exceed the highest part of the roof by 1 metre or more; or
in the case of a dwellinghouse on article 2(3) land, the chimney, flue or soil and vent pipe would be installed on a wall or roof slope which-
fronts a highway, and
forms either the principal elevation or a side elevation of the dwellinghouse.
Class H - Microwave Antenna
Class H covers the installation, alteration, or replacement of microwave antenna such as satellite dishes.
Development is not permitted by Class H if:
It would result in the presence on the dwellinghouse or within its curtilage of-
more than 2 antennas;
a single antenna exceeding 1 metre in length;
2 antennas which do not meet the relevant size criteria;
an antenna installed on a chimney, where the length of the antenna would exceed 0.6 metres;
an antenna installed on a chimney, where the antenna would protrude above the chimney; or
an antenna with a cubic capacity in excess of 35 litres.
In the case of an antenna to be installed on a roof without a chimney, the highest part of the antenna would be higher than the highest part of the roof.
In the case of an antenna to be installed on a roof with a chimney, the highest part of the antenna would be higher than the highest part of the chimney, or 0.6 metres measured from the highest part of the ridge tiles of the roof, whichever is the lower.
In the case of article 2(3) land, it would consist of the installation of an antenna-
on a chimney, wall or roof slope which faces onto, and is visible from, a highway;
in the Broads, on a chimney, wall or roof slope which faces onto, and is visible from, a waterway; or
on a building which exceeds 15 metres in height.
Development is permitted by Class H subject to the following conditions:
An antenna installed on a building shall, so far as practicable, be sited so as to minimise its effect on the external appearance of the building.
An antenna no longer needed for reception or transmission purposes shall be removed as soon as reasonably practicable.
