Do I need Planning Permission for my Conservatory?

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Conservatory Planning Exemptions

These rules are from the Planning Portal.
If you meet any of the following criteria, you do not need planning permission:

• They are built at ground level and are less than 30 square metres in floor area.
• At least half of the new wall and three quarters of the roof is either glazed or translucent material.
• The Conservatory is separated from the house by external door(s).
• Glazing and any fixed electrical installations comply with the applicable building regulations requirements.

You are advised not to construct conservatories where they will restrict ladder access to windows serving rooms in roof or loft conversions, particularly if any of the windows are intended to help escape or rescue if there is a fire.

Extensions or additions to a Conservatory

Any new structural opening between the conservatory and the existing house will require building regulations approval, even if the conservatory itself is an exempt structure.

Failure to meet any of the above will turn your conservatory into an extension and you will be required to meet all aspects of the relevant regulations. Porches can also be exempt and they have a separate definition.

Conservatory Planning Permission

In Depth Size Regulations

Under new regulations that came into effect from 1 October 2008 adding a conservatory to your house is considered to be permitted development, not needing an application for planning permission, subject to the following limits and conditions:

• No more than half the area of land around the original house* would be covered by additions or other buildings.
• No extension forward of the principal elevation or side elevation fronting a highway.
• No extension to be higher than the highest part of the roof.
• Maximum depth of a single-storey rear extension of three metres for an attached house and four metres for a detached house.
• Maximum height of a single-storey rear extension of four metres.
• Maximum depth of a rear extension of more than one storey of three metres including ground floor.
• Maximum eaves height of an extension within two metres of the boundary of three metres.
• Maximum eaves and ridge height of extension no higher than existing house.
• Side extensions to be single storey with maximum height of four metres and width no more than half that of the original house.
• Roof pitch of extensions higher than one storey to match existing house.
• No verandas, balconies or raised platforms.
• On designated land* no permitted development for rear extensions of more than one storey; no cladding of the exterior; no side extensions.

Where work is proposed to a listed building, then listed building consent may be required.

* “original house” means the house as it was first built or as it stood on 1 July 1948 (if it was built before that date). Although you may not have built an extension to the house, a previous owner may have done so.