Over the last decade, at C3M studio, we have prided ourselves in always giving accurate advice and ensuring that we don’t base anything on what ‘that bloke or someone’s sisters friend told me’
However, more recently, we have had more enquiries than ever from concerned clients about to start projects, thinking it’s under permitted development when it’s not.
You can do a lot under permitted today, however you have to check a few fundamental factors.
1.0 Your are not in a conservation area.
2.0 Your are not in an area that has an article 4 designation.
3.0 You have not already altered the building, or previous owners have altered the building, from its original ‘as built’ condition or it’s state as it was in 1948.
4.0 You permitted rights are finite and provide a maximum envelope, they cannot be used again and again. (its one or other not all rules).
If in doubt: Always apply for a certificate of lawfulness. Speak to a Chartered Architect. This will protect your works with ratification from the local authority that your project is in compliance with permitted development rights.
The rules establishing permitted development are exact and cannot be tweaked or adjusted, it can make sense to make a planning application to ensure you achieve the best possible alteration to your property.
You will usually at some point want to sell your property, so getting your ducks in a row, is always the sensible approach in relation to the largest investment you will probably make – in your home.
We have undertaken many permitted development applications for clients this year, to allow clients to then progress, without planning risk, of being asked to rip down work that is non compliant – it is not really worth the gamble.
