Is Permitted Development really worth it?
Firstly, Permitted Development (PD) is an option for the planning approvals on your home but comes with many restrictions. A development on your home will still need a Building Control application and approval. When you come to sell the property your solicitor will want paperwork saying it is PD. This is known as a certificate of lawful development.
If this request is completed after the development, it commands a full application fee rather than a discounted fee at the design stage.
Building Work Without Planning Permission
One of the most frustrating requests, as a designer, is being asked to retrospectively get permission for work done without approvals where the lack of approval is blocking a sale of the property.
Common situations:
- Conservatories – Conservatory re-roofing or insulation of the conservatory roof. Conservatories are often too hot in summer and too cold in winter leading to a desire to expand their usage window by reducing solar gain and increasing thermal insulation. There are many companies claiming that they can simply take off the glass and replace with an opaque insulated finish without building control approvals. This is not the case. Building Control Approval must be obtained to prove structural and thermal requirements.
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- It should be noted that a direct panel replacement can cause damage to the structure below because the conservatory frame was never intended to take the weight of an insulated/opaque covering and its fixings. A professional structural assessment must be completed as a part of the Building Control application together with appropriate thermal calculations. Note: We have never seen one of these direct replacements meet the required standards for a building control approval.