The Regulations covering permitted development changed on 1st October 2008. Accordingly, any decision that we may have made before this date in relation to your proposal may be superseded if work on the proposed development has not commenced before the 1st October 2008. If you are unsure, please contact us to discuss, quoting your reference number on all correspondence.
You may not need planning permission to make some changes to your home. The Government has set out rules nationally which say what does and doesn’t need planning permission. This is known as ‘permitted development’.
Whether you need planning permission depends on various factors including:
| The size and position of the alterations |
| The size of your house |
| Whether it is terraced, semi-detached or detached |
| Whether you live in a Conservation Area |
| Whether there are other planning controls in your area |
| Whether the house has been extended before |
The rules are very complex and too detailed to explain here in full but we offer a free and efficient service to determine whether your proposal requires permission. To help you give us the information we need, we have put together an
Enquiry form (including guidance notes on completing the form). Submission of this form allows us to determine whether planning permission and/or
building regulation approval is required for your proposal.
Please be aware that we will not normally tell you over the telephone or in reception whether you need permission as the rules are so complicated. You will need to fill in the form.
After you have sent us your completed form, we will normally send you a written reply within 21 days confirming whether or not you need permission. This letter is often very useful, especially if you wish to sell your property and need proof that planning permission was not required for the works.
We have also produced a leaflet called Do I need planning permission? to help you if you need further advice about needing planning permission.
Lawful Development Certificate
Our Enquiry form is an informal and free service. You can also apply for a formal decision (a fee is required) to establish whether permission is required. This is known as a Lawful Development Certificate.
Live in a Listed Building?
If you live in a listed building you may also need Listed Building Consent for any changes as well as planning permission. You can still fill in one of our Householder Exemption Forms and we will let you know whether you need both planning permission and/or listed building consent.
Need Further Advice?
If you need further advice on whether you need permission or help filling in the Enquiry form you can contact us. Our Duty Officer is available from Monday to Thursday - 8.45am to 5.15pm and Friday 8.45am to 4.45pm either by phoning 01636 655846 or you can come and see them at Kelham Hall. There is no appointment system for this service, so you may have a short wait if the Duty Officer is with another customer. Alternatively you can send any queries to us in the post or by e-mail.
Take Care! If you build something that requires planning permission without obtaining permission first, you may have to put things right later, which could prove troublesome and costly. You might even have to remove an unauthorised building. You can get more information about this on our Enforcement pages.
If you require a hard copy of any of the information on this page please contact Planning Services on 01636 655860 or email planning@nsdc.info. There may be a charge for this information, click here for further information.
