Will you need permission from your local authority for your conservatory?

As more and more families are opting to improve their existing properties rather that moving, the UK has seen a growing rate of uPVC conservatories. A conservatory extension is a far cheaper alternative to moving home or building extensions and loft conversions. With a lot of negative equity a conservative is the perfect solution.

uPVC conservatories are a cost effective way to add value to your property. If you are going to use the professionals a lot of this will be taken care of but there are a lot of things you must research before starting the job.

One of these things is the subject of planning permission. The local councils have always been responsible for monitoring any building work undertaken by homeowners. Councils monitor building work to make sure that unsuitable work doesnt effect neighbours. If building work wasnt regulated you could easily end up with monstrous extensions overlooking your property.

Around 40% of conservatories are exempt from planning permission.These factors mean you may not need planning permission:

No more than 50% of the land surrounding the existing property can be developed on. (And by that, it means as the property was initially built, or as it stood on the 1st July 1948) If you want to build a conservatory exceeding this, you will need planning permission.

1) You are going to need planning permission if your conservatory faces the road.

2) You may be able to avoid the need for planning permission in a detached property if the conservatory is no more than 4 meters deep.

3) You may be able to avoid the need for planning permission in a semi-detached property if the conservatory is no more than 3 meters deep.

4) The maximum height cannot exceed 4000mm.

5) Conservatories built to the side face of a building cannot exceed 4000mm in height and be no more than 50% of the original property.

6) At least 50% of the external faces of the conservatory must be glass, and 75% of the roof must be either glass or polycarbonate.

7) You need French doors, patio doors on an external door between the house and the conservatory.

8) Planning permission will always need to be sought for any building work in a national park or on a listed building.

A letter of lawful development which can be provided by a local planning officer is always worth having, even if you dont need planning permission. This will be worth its weight in gold if selling the property as it proves that you met any regulations at the time of building.