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Conservatories remain one of the most treasured UK home improvements. Planning your conservatory or orangery upgrade or installation should be an enjoyable and rewarding experience for the whole family. However, the initial process can become quite baffling for renovators who don’t have the support of a local expert to answer the plethora of questions that this type of installation can bring. A common question we’re asked is do I need planning permission for a conservatory?… With this in mind, we thought we’d start at the very beginning.
Generally, the quick answer to whether planning permission is needed for a conservatory is no. Conservatory development is normally categorised under ‘permitted development rights’.
As long as you build an orangery within permitted development rights, you won’t need to apply for planning permission.
Permitted development rights cover common home improvements and extensions (for houses), that can be carried out without the need to apply for planning permission. However, there are certain limits and conditions that must be followed to comply with permitted development rights. These are:
For more information, contact one of our experts who can provide information specific to your property and requests.
Subject to the neighbour consultation scheme, outside Article 1(5) designated land (e.g. national parks, the Broads, Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB)* conservation areas and World Heritage sites) & Sites of Special Scientific Interest, the rear wall extension limit is permanently increased to 6m for attached houses and 8m for detached houses in England only.
So, if your conservatory project includes any of the restraints listed above, or falls within an Article 4 area, you may need to seek conservatory planning permission from your local authority.
If you like the idea of installing a conservatory on the front of your house, as long as the area surrounding the original house isn’t covered by other buildings or additions by more than 40% (and the conservatory isn’t situated closer to a public highway than the original property), it should fall within permitted development guidelines. Don’t hesitate to contact us to clarify this for you.
Suffolk Planning permission guidance
Ipswich Planning applications and pre-application advice
Oxford City Planning application permission advice
Essex Planning application guidance
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With an impressive range of conservatories to choose from, if you require any further information or advice on planning permission for conservatories don’t hesitate to get in touch. For more information on conservatory installations, read this great guide from Which? – it includes images of our very own conservatory installations!
Conservation areas and Article 4 directions. What do they mean?! And do they apply to your area?
Our quick guide to Article 4: meet the conservation guides with our Evolution windows
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We thought it the perfect time to explain exactly how big a building can be without the need for planning permission, including conservation areas.
How big can an extension be without planning permission (including conservation areas)?
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Allowing for essential home improvements on a payment plan that suits you, we’ve broken down each extension finance package accessible through SEH BAC for ease.
How to finance a home extension
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