Do You Always Need Planning Permission for a London Property Refurbishment?

If you have recently purchased a property in London you might be thinking about what needs to be done next. If there is work to be done, London property refurbishment could be subject to planning permissions in certain cases. If you are considering adding an extension, or converting the attic or basement to create new space, it might be achievable, but does it fall within planning permission rules.

Here, we take a look at a few key guiding points to help you make the right decision for your London refurbishment project.

In most cases planning permission from the local council is only ever required if a property refurbishment includes the construction of entirely new structures, extensions or where there is to be major structural alterations to the existing building. With smaller property renovations where none of this is necessary, or there is no alteration being made to the façade of the front of the building, there is no reason to suspect that planning permission is necessary. However, we would always advice that you check with your local authority before going ahead with the planned work (and the LPS team is always happy to help with advice and guidance relating to potential planning permission).

When it comes to adding extensions to the property, you are almost certain that you will need to gain planning permission, so be thorough with your application and ensure that the proposed design isn’t too challenging aesthetically or radical, or it is more likely to lead to potential objections from the planning department of your local authority.

What about permitted developments?

The Permitted Development Act ensures that homeowners are entitled to increase the size of the original property by more than 7 cubic metres or 15%, with small extensions carried out under Permitted Development not requiring formal planning permission to do so. With the lack of space inside many London homes, refurbishment often does require planning permission where an extension is concerned however.

There are a few restrictions within the Permitted Development Act. A development must not cover more than half of the area of land around the existing building, be nearer any type of public access than the original building, be taller than the existing roof, overshadow a neighbour’s window that has existed for longer than 20-years, or be part of a listed building or conservation area.

Permitted developments only apply to houses, not apartments, so if you are looking for a London flat refurbishment project, different rules apply when it comes to planning permission. Always bear this in mind.

If you are considering making renovation plans with your London home, London Refurbishment Company are the team to contact. Our expert team has developed a number of innovative strategies over the years to ensure that our London property refurbishment clients are always happy with the delivery of our service. If you would like to book a consultation with our team, give us a call today on 0208 445 8677 and we’ll be happy to talk through your project, budgets and where you may need planning permission. We look forward to helping you renovate your property and maximise quality of life and valuation in the process.