Permitted Development
In order to avoid the planning system from becoming overloaded, the Secretary of State is able to grant a blanket planning permission for many minor developments. These rights are contained within the Town and Country Planning (General Permitted Development) Order 1995 and are called 'permitted development rights'. These can include small extensions, walls and fences below certain heights, and domestic outbuildings. You need however to be careful when interpreting the permitted development rights due to these being restricted in some areas and for certain houses. Typically, permitted development rights are restricted in Conservation areas, whilst they also do not apply to listed buildings, flats or maisonettes, which means that you will have to apply for planning permission to undertake certain types of works to your house, which may not be required in other areas.
The Planning Portal has created a web page that features an interactive guide to help consumers to understand the new Permitted Development Rights. Users can simply click on the part of the house they are thinking of changing to find an explanation of the rules, see interactive guidance for householders on Planning Portal website.
Preliminary Enquiry Form for House Extensions and Alterations
If you would like to find out whether planning permission is required for a house extension or alteration, please complete and return a Preliminary Enquiry Form (PDF: 54Kb / 4 pages) . This service is free and we will provide a written response based on the information provided advising of the requirement for planning permission and building regulations approval. Please note that this is not a planning application form.
The Planning Portal website has further information and general advice on planning permission, as well as a plan and map creator, fee calculator, carbon calculator and volume calculator see useful tools.
We have a guide available on Residential Extensions (PDF 227Kb / 18 pages) .
In exceptional cases, permitted development rights may have been withdrawn from a property. In these circumstances, a planning application may be necessary, although no fee will be payable.
If your proposal is not in connection with a house extension or alteration, for example a business or commercial venture, we will require you to write to the Planning Department at Mansion House, Penrith with as much detail of the proposal as possible including a site location plan and sketch drawings.
Permitted development rights are not available for farm or forestry dwellings, or for livestock units sited near residential and similar buildings. For further information there is an advice leaflet available 'General Planning Guidance for Farmers' (PDF: 48Kb / 2 pages)and Communities and Local Government department has a Farmers Guide to Planning.
Change of Use
In addition to development, changes of use may require planning permission, for example a change of use from a shop to a dwelling or vice versa. Please contact us for further details.
The Planning Portal lists the various use classes and has information on changes of use requiring and not requiring planning permission see change of use planning permission.
Further information can also be found in two Communities and Local Government documents:
The laws governing whether or not planning permission is required are complex, therefore it is always advisable to consult us prior to undertaking development to check whether planning permission is needed. If you are at all unsure about whether you need to apply for planning permission please contact us. It is important to realise however that it is not always possible to tell you over the phone if planning permission is not required.
If you require planning permission please read the information regarding advice before making an application.
Contact Us
If you have any further queries about planning there is always a Duty Officer available during office hours:
| Monday-Thursday |
8.45am to 5.15pm |
| Friday |
8.45am to 4.45pm |
You can contact the duty officer by phone on 01768 817817 or in person at Mansion House. If you wish to contact a specific officer see development control contact information.
