Recent Planning Successes and Permitted Development – Summer 2024
Unpicking requirements and finding your way through the local authority, planning minefield can be a challenge.
Working around the city in which we work allows us to familiarise ourselves with a diverse client base and grounded understanding of the particularities of individual areas and neighbourhoods. This is how we’ve achieved a number of recent planning successes in Portsmouth this year including a conversion of a Victorian coach house in a conservation area of Southsea into three 1 bedroom apartments, a retrofit, extension and loft conversion of a single dwelling in Drayton and a small scale extension for a developer’s property in Hilsea amongst others.
Changes in Permitted Development Rights
With changes in permitted development rights we’ve also been able to advise some clients how they can circumnavigate the planning process.
In the case of residential extensions or additions to your house they may be considered to be permitted development, not requiring an application for planning permission, provided certain limits and conditions are met.
- On designated land – no cladding of the exterior.
- On designated land – no side extensions. Rear extension – No permitted development for rear extensions of more than one storey. The regime for larger single-storey rear extensions does NOT apply to houses on designated land.
- No more than half the area of land around the “original house” would be covered by additions or other buildings. Sheds and other outbuildings must be included when calculating the 50 per cent limit.
- No extension forward of the principal elevation or side elevation fronting a highway.
- Materials used in exterior work to be similar in appearance to those of the exterior of the existing house. This condition does not apply when the extension is a conservatory.
- Side extensions to be single storey. The width of side extension must not have a width greater than half the width of the original house.
- Side extensions to have a maximum height of 4m and width no more than half that of the original house.
- If the extension is within 2m of a boundary, maximum eaves height should be no higher than 3m to be permitted development.
- Single-storey rear extensions must not extend beyond the rear wall of the original house by more than 4m if a detached house; or more than 3m for any other house.
- Where not on designated land or a Site of Special Scientific Interest, this limit is increased to 8m if a detached house; or 6m for any other house.
- Maximum height of a single-storey rear extension of 4m.
- Maximum eaves and ridge height of extension no higher than existing house.
Discuss your Extension Ideas
If you’re still in any doubt as to whether your extension ideas are within the permitted development parameters give us a call to discuss and we’ll be happy to point you in the right direction.
