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Guide to Householders - Permitted Development

This guide gives information on types of minor development which householders can carry out to their property without requiring planning permission from the local planning authority. The Town and Country Planning (General Permitted Development) Order 1995, grants planning permission for certain works subject to specific criteria being complied with. Such works are known as 'Permitted Development' (PD).

Removal of PD Rights

PD rights are sometimes removed by the local planning authority either by Directions (Article 4 Directions) or by conditions attached to planning permissions on properties. For example, there are Directions removing rights to some PD works to dwellings, in Bridgnorth and Highley: Clee View Conservation Areas and The Ship Inn Chalet site at Highley. Conditions removing such rights are also often applied to former barns which have been converted to dwellings. The PD rights set out in this guide may not apply in such cases. Householders should first ensure that their property has not had PD rights removed.

Listed Buildings

If your property is a listed building, then separate listed building consent is likely to be required for most of the developments set out in the guide, even if they would constitute PD in respect of the need for planning permission.

Building Regulations

Many of the developments set out in this guide will require approval under the Building Regulations. Further advice can be obtained from the Council's Building Control Section (01746 713140).

Definitions

Original Dwelling - is the dwelling as it existed in 1948 or if built since then, the dwelling as built.
AONB - is the Shropshire Hills Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.
Curtilage - is normally the garden area to the dwelling.
Highway - includes footpaths used by the public.

Permitted Development (PD)

The following PD rights apply to dwellings and not to flats or maisonettes:

Class A - Extensions & Improvements

Permitted development subject to the following limits and conditions:

• No extension forward of the principal elevation or side elevation of the original dwelling house fronting a highway.
• No extension to be higher than the highest part of the roof of the existing dwelling house.
• In a Conservation Area, Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty or World Heritage Site no permitted development for rear extensions of more than one storey.
• Maximum depth of a single storey rear extension beyond the rear wall of the original dwelling house of 4 metres for a detached house, or 3 metres in the case of any other type of dwelling house, and to not exceed 4 metres in height.
• Maximum depth of a rear extension of more than one storey beyond the rear wall of the original dwelling house of 3 metres including ground floor.
• Maximum eaves height of extension 3 metres within 2 metres of boundary, and elsewhere maximum eaves and ridge height of extension no higher than existing house.
• In a Conservation Area, Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty or World Heritage Site no side extensions. Outside of these areas side extensions to be single storey only with maximum height of 4 metres and width no more than half that of the original house.
• Two storey extensions no closer than 7 metres to rear boundary.
• Roof pitch of extensions higher than one storey to match existing house.
• Materials to be similar in appearance to the existing house.
• No verandas, balconies, raised platforms more than 30 centimetres in height, chimneys, flues, soil or vent pipes allowed by this class.
• Upper floor side facing windows to be obscure glazed; any opening element to Be 1.7 metres above the floor of the room it serves.
• In a Conservation Area, Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty or World Heritage Site no cladding of the exterior.
• Extensions (together with any other buildings in the curtilage excluding the original dwelling) do not cover more than 50% of the remaining curtilage.

Class B - Enlargement of a dwelling consisting of an addition or alteration to its roof

Permitted development subject to the following limits and conditions:

• The dwelling house must not be within a Conservation Area, Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty or World Heritage Site.
• The cubic content of the resulting roof space (measured externally) does not exceed the cubic content of the original roof space by more than 40 cubic metres if a terraced house or 50 cubic metres in any other case.
• No extension beyond the plane of the existing roof slope which forms the principal elevation of the dwelling house and fronts a highway.
• No extension to be higher than the highest part of the roof.
• Materials to be similar in appearance to the existing house.
• No verandas, balconies, raised platforms more than 30 centimetres in height, chimneys, flues, soil or vent pipes allowed by this class.
• Side facing windows to be obscure-glazed; any opening element to be 1.7 metres above the floor of the room it serves.
• Extensions to be set back, as far as practicable, at least 20 centimetres from the eaves, other than in the case of a hip-to-gable enlargem.

Class C - Roof Alterations

Permitted development subject to the following limits and conditions:

• Any alteration to project no more than 150 millimetres from the existing roof plane.
• No alteration to be higher than the highest part of the original roof.
• Side facing windows to be obscure-glazed; any opening element to be 1.7 metres above the floor of the room it serves.
• No chimneys, flues, soil or vent pipes or solar equipment allowed by this class.

Class D - Porches

Porches are PD if:

• The ground area (measured externally) does not exceed 3 square metres.
• Their height does not exceed 3 metres above ground level.
• No part is within 2 metres of any boundary of the curtilage with a highway.

Class E - Outbuildings, Enclosures, Pools and Containers for the Storage of Oil or Liquid Petroleum Gas

Permitted development subject to the following limits and conditions:

• In a Conservation Area, Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty or World Heritage Site buildings, enclosures, containers or pools at the side of properties will require planning permission.
• Within the curtilage of listed buildings any outbuilding, enclosures, pools or containers will require planning permission.
• In National Parks, the Broads, Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty and World Heritage Sites the maximum area to be covered by buildings, enclosures, containers or pools more than 20 metres from house to be limited to 10 square metres.
• No building, enclosure, pool or container forward of the principal elevation fronting a highway.
• Buildings to be single storey with maximum eaves height of 2.5 metres and maximum overall height of 4 metres with a dual pitched roof or 3 metres for any other roof.
• Maximum height 2.5 metres within two metres of a boundary.
• No raised platforms more than 30 centimetres in height, or verandas or balconies.
• The total area of ground covered by buildings, enclosures and containers within the curtilage (other than the original dwelling house) must not cover more than 50% of the remaining curtilage.
• The capacity of a container must not exceed 3500 litres.

Class F - Hard Surfaces

Permitted Development subject to:

• Any new or replacement hard surface within the curtilage of the dwelling house on land between a wall forming the principal elevation of the dwelling house and a highway of more than 5 square metres must be either made of porous materials, or provision must be made to direct run-off water from the hard surface to a permeable or porous area or surface within the curtilage of the dwelling house.

Class G - Chimneys, Flues and Soil and Vent Pipes

Permitted Development subject to:

• In a Conservation Area, Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty or World Heritage Site no installation on the principal or a side elevation that fronts a highway.
• The height being not more than 1 metre above the highest part of the roof.

Class H - Microwave Antenna

A satellite or microwave antenna on a dwelling or in the garden is PD if:

• There are no more than 2 antennas.
• There is one antenna, this does not exceed 100 centimetres in length in any direction. If a second antenna, this must not exceed 60 centimetres in length.
• It is attached to a chimney, its length does not exceed 60 centimetres and it does not protrude above the chimney.
• Its cubic capacity does not exceed 35 litres.
• It is erected on a roof with a chimney, the highest part of the antenna is no higher than the highest part of the chimney or 60 centimetres from the highest part of the ridge tiles of the roof, whichever is the lower.
• Sited to minimise its effect on the external appearance of the building.
• Your property is not a flat or maisonette.

However in an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty or within a Conservation Area or World Heritage Site, the antenna must

• Not be on a building exceeding 15 metres in height.
• Not be on a chimney, wall or roof slope which faces onto and is visible from a highway.

Note: antenna/dishes must be removed when no longer needed. If your property is a listed building, then listed building consent will be required.

Note that antenna must be removed when no longer needed.

Other Permitted Development

The following works relate to all dwellings including flats and maisonettes.

Gates, Walls and Fences
These are PD if:

• They form a means of enclosure (for example, retaining walls are not included).
• They do not exceed 1m in height above ground level where adjacent to a highway used by vehicles. (There is no specific distance from a highway to define what is 'adjacent'; it depends on a visual judgement on the facts and circumstances in each case).
• They do not exceed 2m in height in any other case.
• It is not within the curtilage of or surrounds a listed building.

Means of Access

A new access is PD if:

• It is not to a trunk or classified road.
• It is required in connection with some other form of development which is itself PD (for example, an access to serve a hardstanding being formed as PD in the garden).

External Painting

You can paint the exterior of your house as PD providing it is not for the purpose of an advertisement, announcement or direction. Note the separate listed building consent requirements set out above.

Domestic Microgeneration Equipment (Part 40)

A. The installation of solar photovoltaics or solar thermal equipment on a dwelling house or building within the curtilage of a dwelling house is permitted development subject to the following limits and conditions:

• Within a Conservation Area or World Heritage Site the equipment must not be on a wall forming the principal or side elevation of the dwelling house or curtilage building and be visible from a highway.
• The equipment must not protrude more than 20 centimetres beyond the plane of the wall or the roof slope.
• The equipment must not be installed higher than the highest part of the roof (excluding any chimney).
• Planning permission will be needed if the equipment would be installed on a building within the curtilage of a listed building.
• The equipment shall be installed, as far as practicable, to minimise its effect on the external appearance of the building and the amenity of the area.
• The equipment must be removed when no longer needed.

B. The installation of stand alone solar equipment within the curtilage of a dwelling house is permitted development subject to the following limits and conditions:

• Within a Conservation Area or World Heritage Site the solar must not be visible from a highway.
• Only one stand alone solar is allowed, the height must not exceed 4 metres above ground level, and it must not be sited within 5 metres of the boundary of the curtilage.
• Planning permission would be needed if it would be within the curtilage of a listed building or the surface area of the solar panels would exceed 9 square metres or any dimension of its array would exceed 3 metres.
• The equipment shall be sited to minimise its effect on the amenity of the area and removed when no longer needed.

C&D. The installation of a ground or water source heat pump within the curtilage of a dwelling house does not need planning permission.

E&F. The installation of a flue forming part of a biomass heating system or part of a combined heat and power system on a dwelling house is permitted development subject to the following limits and conditions:

• Within a Conservation Area or World Heritage Site the flue must not be installed on a wall or roof slope forming the principal or side elevation of the dwelling house and must not be visible from a highway.
• The height of the flue above the highest part of the roof must be less than 1 metre.
  For the purposes of Part 40 'dwelling house' also includes a building which consists wholly of flats.

Advice

If you require further advice from the Council:

• Write to the Development Control Section at The Council Offices, Westgate, Bridgnorth, Shropshire, WV16 5AA.
• Telephone 01746 713136
• E-mail devcon@bridgnorth-dc.gov.uk