Permitted Development
Certain types of work or development can be carried out without the need for formal planning permission; this is due to the availability of “permitted development rights.”
These rights stem from a general planning permission which is granted by the Government, instead of the Local Planning Authority. The specific permitted development rights available to you is dependent on the type of property you own. For instance, many rights that apply to houses do not similarly extend to flats, maisonettes, or other types of buildings (such as commercial properties).
It is also important to note that in some parts of the country, your permitted development rights may be more limited. For example, if you live in a designated area, you may need to obtain formal planning permission for certain types of work that would normally not require an application. These are:
- a Listed Building
- a Conservation Area
- a National Park
- a National Landscape / Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB)
- a World Heritage Site
- the Norfolk or Suffolk Broads
Your Local Planning Authority also has the jurisdiction to remove some (or all) of your permitted development rights through either a planning condition, attached to a previous planning permission, or by issuing an ‘Article 4’ direction. In such cases, you would similarly need to submit a formal planning application for work that would typically not require a planning application.
Most permitted development rights come with conditions and limitations. For some classes of permitted development, one such condition is the need to apply to the Local Planning Authority for ‘Prior Approval’ or to determine whether ‘Prior Approval’ is necessary.
Further information on this can be found on the Prior Approval page. If you would like to understand how permitted development rights can benefit you and your property, do not hesitate to get in touch with one of our expert team and we can talk you through the options that are available to you.
