Need planning permission to build a conservatory?

The truth is that without submitting either a planning application to your local authority’s planning department to build a conservatory at your property or an application for a Certificate of Proposed Lawful Development you will not really know 100% for sure.

Despite this, you can ask your local planning department for their written opinion on whether it would be likely to consent or not to you building a conservatory on your land/house. Whilst having such a letter is usually a good “indication” whether or not your local authority would be mindful to grant planning permission, it is important you appreciate that a letter giving an “opinion” does NOT constitute planning consent. Once you read the small print and caveats, you will realise the only way to be certain is to apply for planning permission or obtain a Certificate of Proposed Lawful Development (the latter is not as expensive or time consuming).

However, many local authorities have their own rules, and some can interpret the planning laws more strictly than others, so just because one planning department does one thing, it does not necessarily mean that another council will do the same. Hazlemere Conservatories have professional surveyors and conservatory designers that are in daily contact with many local authorities throughout the region, so has expert up-to-date knowledge of what your local authority is likely to permit, or not! As Hazlemere has been building bespoke double glazed conservatories for over 25 years, it has the expertise to submit a planning application with the greatest chance of getting you what you want i.e. consent to build a conservatory on your property that will add value to your home and increase your living space.

There are cases where the professionals at Hazlemere can determine that you don’t require planning permission, by checking whether or not you do a) have permitted development rights and b) if you have, that you still have sufficient of them left to build the size of conservatory you want to build in the position you want to build it. Sometimes it is not possible to build a conservatory where you want it due to Thames Water Sewers/Drains, tree preservation orders, conservation areas, listed buildings or too close proximity to neighbouring properties line of sight etc. If you do have a Thames Sewer manhole cover(s) in the area you would like to build a conservatory, it is likely you will either need to obtain a Thames Water Build Over Agreement prior to commencing works (which involves additional time and costs) or design your conservatory around it.

If your property does not have any permitted development rights, or has used them all up, this does not mean that you will not be granted planning permission, but certainly means you legally cannot build one without submitting a planning application and obtaining consent. I have come across cases where some householders have “jumped the gun”, getting themselves in both legal and financial hot water, all because they had not either a) bothered to research the planning laws, or b) deliberately ignored them!

Hazlemere Conservatories will not start building an aluminium or UPVC conservatory until it has a) determined beyond doubt that no planning permission is required, or b) obtained a Certificate of Proposed Lawful Development for your home, or c) obtained planning permission to build a conservatory, the size and design you are happy with at your property. As we find that the vast majority of conservatories we build do require planning permission, my strong advice is to make sure you do all the search necessary for your particular property, and get written permission before starting any works.