Planning Permission Rules for UK Homeowners

Councils usually require planning permission if you build something new, make a major change such as an extension, or change how a building is used. In England and Wales you apply through your local council (often via the Planning Portal), while Scotland and Northern Ireland have separate national systems.​

Planning is common, not rare: in England alone, councils handled around 329,700 planning applications in the year to June 2025, showing how many households and developers rely on the system to improve property. Despite worries about refusals, roughly 8 to 9 in 10 applications are typically approved, depending on type and area.​

What is planning permission

Planning permission is consent from your local planning authority (LPA) that your proposed development is acceptable in terms of size, appearance, use and impact on neighbours and the wider area. It is completely separate from building regulations approval, which deals with technical safety and performance standards.​

Central government sets national planning law and policy, but each council interprets these through its local plan and guidance, which is why similar schemes can be approved in one area and refused in another. Devolved governments in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland have their own planning rules and guidance, so homeowners there should use their national portals as the primary reference.​

When permission is needed

You will usually need planning permission if you want to:

• Build a new house or substantial separate building in your garden.​
• Make a major change to your home, such as a large extension, multi-storey addition, or significant change to the roof shape.​
• Convert a house into flats or use part of it for business beyond what is considered “incidental” to residential use.​

You are also likely to need permission for works that significantly change the external appearance of a property in sensitive locations such as conservation areas or around listed buildings. Flats and maisonettes usually do not benefit from the same householder permitted development rights as single houses, so owners of these properties often need full permission even for relatively modest changes.​

Permitted development basics

Permitted development rights are a national set of rules that automatically grant planning permission for certain types of work, provided strict conditions are met. They exist to allow homeowners to make modest improvements without overloading councils with minor applications, while still protecting neighbours and local character.​

Common examples that may fall under permitted development (subject to detailed limits) include:

• Small rear extensions within maximum depth and height limits relative to the “original” house.​
• Loft conversions that increase roof volume only up to a capped cubic limit and do not extend too far beyond existing roof slopes.​
• Certain outbuildings, such as sheds or home offices, placed within size and height limits and not used as self-contained homes.​
• Installing solar panels and some types of new windows or doors, again within rules on projection and appearance.​

Even where permitted development applies, some projects require a “prior approval” process so the council can check specific impacts (for example, on neighbours’ light or highways access) before work starts.​

Where permitted development is restricted

Permitted development rights do not apply equally everywhere, and in some cases are removed or reduced altogether. You are more likely to need full planning permission if:​

• Your home is a flat or maisonette rather than a single dwelling house.​
• The building is listed, or lies in a conservation area or other specially protected designation.​
• Your street is covered by an Article 4 Direction, which removes specific permitted development rights to protect local character.​

National parks and other protected landscapes can have tighter controls, particularly on larger or more visually prominent alterations. Always check your council’s website and constraints maps before assuming permitted development applies.​

Key rules: extensions and lofts

Government technical guidance sets out detailed size, height and position limits for extensions under permitted development in England. For example, a rear single-storey extension that only projects a few metres beyond the original back wall of a terraced or semi-detached home may qualify, provided it stays within height and boundary limits.​

Two-storey extensions, side extensions on narrow plots, or schemes that wrap around corners are more likely to need full planning permission because of their potential impact on neighbours’ light and views. Loft conversions that add modest dormer windows set back from the eaves may fall under permitted development, but large box dormers on the front elevation usually do not.​

Key rules: driveways, kerbs and boundaries

Creating or enlarging a driveway at the front of your home is sometimes possible under permitted development, but there are rules on drainage and materials to avoid flooding. Hard surfacing over a certain area generally needs to be porous or to drain to a suitable area within your property, rather than into the public sewer.​

Boundary treatments such as fences, walls and gates can often be built up to a particular height without permission, but going higher or altering boundaries next to highways typically triggers an application. Dropped kerbs to create new vehicle access almost always need both planning permission and separate consent from the highways authority for safety reasons.​

How permission affects property value

Well-planned improvements can significantly increase both the usefulness and market value of your home. Research cited by a UK lender suggests that a substantial extension to a typical three-bedroom house can add up to around 20–23% to its value, depending on design and location. Industry estimates indicate that a modest single-storey extension of around 20–30 square metres often costs tens of thousands of pounds, so understanding return on investment is critical before you build.​

ONS-based analysis shows households are spending on the order of tens of billions of pounds a year on maintenance and repair, underlining how important the existing housing stock is to people’s finances and comfort. Rising household costs have pushed many owners to focus on energy-efficient upgrades and strategic extensions that reduce bills and make properties more attractive when they are listed for sale.​

If you are thinking about improving your home, use local data before spending:

• Use Hausreport to understand estimated current value, local demand and comparable homes that have already been extended. Hausreport now highlights “extension opportunity” information for some listings, including estimated build costs, potential value uplift.
• Use Compare your postcode on Hauservice to see how your area performs against nearby postcodes and where planning-led upgrades may add the most value.

The application process step by step

When your project goes beyond permitted development, a straightforward process usually applies for householder planning applications. In most of the UK you can submit online via national or local planning portals, attaching drawings and the required fee. Typical decisions for householder applications are made in around eight weeks, though complex schemes can take longer.​

A sensible route for homeowners is:

1. Check the rules and constraints
   • Use the Planning Portal guides for your project type (extensions, lofts, outbuildings, etc.).​
   • Confirm whether your home is in a conservation area, is listed, or is covered by an Article 4 Direction using your council’s online maps.​
2. Take early professional advice
   • Speak with an architect or planning consultant who knows your council’s approach to extensions and alterations.​
   • Consider a pre-application discussion with the council, which many authorities offer to flag likely issues before you pay full fees.​
3. Prepare drawings and documents
   • Produce accurate existing and proposed plans and elevations, plus a simple design statement explaining how the scheme respects neighbours and the street.​
   • Check if you also need separate listed building consent or tree works consent.
4. Submit and engage during the decision
   • Apply online, pay the fee and monitor consultations; neighbours and statutory bodies may comment.​
   • Be ready to accept reasonable planning conditions (for example, materials or obscure glazing) if officers recommend approval with safeguards.​

National statistics show that, overall, around 80–90% of minor residential planning applications are granted, so a well-prepared, policy-compliant scheme stands a good chance of success.​

Risks of building without permission

If you carry out work that needed planning permission and did not get it, the council can serve an enforcement notice requiring you to undo or alter the changes. This can mean demolishing an unauthorised extension or restoring a converted loft at your own cost, and failure to comply is a criminal offence.​

Retrospective applications are possible, but there is no guarantee of approval, and unauthorised works can derail a future sale when buyers’ solicitors raise planning queries. Mortgage lenders and surveyors often want reassurance that major works were properly approved, so tidy paperwork and completion certificates add real value in a transaction.​

Planning smarter with local data

As inflation and household costs remain elevated, many owners are prioritising targeted upgrades that deliver both comfort and long-term value. Combining planning knowledge with local market data helps you choose whether, for example, a loft conversion or rear extension is more in line with what buyers in your postcode actually pay a premium for.​

Before you draw up plans, use:

• Get your Hausreport to benchmark your home against similar properties, see recent sold prices and understand how extended homes in your area perform.
• Compare your postcode on Hauservice to explore local price trends, demand and planning activity so you can decide which projects are likely to pay back in your specific market.

By pairing a clear grasp of planning permission rules with real, postcode-level data, you can design improvements that are more likely to be approved, cost-effective and attractive to future buyers.