Amendments to the Town and Country Planning (General Permitted Development) Order 2008

Amendments to Part 1 – Development within the curtilage of a dwellinghouse  In 2008 the Government amended the General Permitted Development Order for residential development. This came into force on 1 st October  Question : Since these changes – A) Has residential development - without requiring planning permission - become easier? or, B) Has residential development become more complicated? (i.e. requiring you to submit planning applications which would have previously been permitted development)

Class A – The enlargement, improvement or other alteration of a dwellinghouse:  Does not constitute permitted development if the enlarged part extends beyond a wall which: Fronts a highway; and forms either the principal elevation or a side elevation of the original dwellinghouse.  Principal elevation: ‘The elevation which has the principal architectural features (i.e., main windows) public features and hence need to protect streetscene’.  Single storey rear extensions: 4m deep – detached dwellinghouse 3m deep – any other dwellinghouse Must not exceed 4m in height

 Two storey rear extensions: 3m in depth Must not be within 7m of any boundary located opposite the rear wall of dwellinghouse. Eaves of enlargement must not exceed 3m in height within 2m of the boundary Continued…

Single storey side extensions are PD providing they: do not exceed 4m in height are no more than one storey in height Do not have a width greater than half the width of the original dwellinghouse.  Two storey rear and single storey side extensions are not PD within Conservation Areas and Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty.  Any raised platform with a height of over 300mm above ground level requires planning permission.

Class B – The enlargement of a dwellinghouse consisting of an addition or alteration to its roof  Must not exceed height of highest part of existing roof  Must not extend beyond the plane of any existing roof slope which forms the principal elevation of the dwellinghouse and fronts a highway.  Cannot exceed the cubic content of the original roof space by more than: 40 cubic metres – terrace house 50 cubic metres – any other house

Class C – Any other alteration to the roof of a dwellinghouse  Must not protrude more than 150mm beyond the plane of the slope of the roof.  Cannot exceed highest part of the original roof.  Solar panels are not permitted under this class. 150mm

Conditions  Materials: The materials used in the exterior work (other than for conservatories) shall be of a similar appearance to those used in the construction of the exterior of the dwellinghouse.  Windows In first floor (or above) and in side elevation - must be obscure glazed and top level opening only at 1.7m above the floor of the room.

Class E – Outbuildings (i)  There are no restrictions regarding the proximity of the outbuilding to the dwellinghouse.  Must not extend beyond the principal elevation of the dwellinghouse.  Outbuilding must not exceed: 4m in height with a dual pitched roof 3m with any other roof form 2.5m, at any point, if the structure is located within 2m of any boundary  Eaves height must not exceed 2.5m  Not permitted if located within the curtilage of a Listed Building.

Outbuildings (ii)  Within Conservation Areas – the structure would not constitute PD if to the side of the dwellinghouse.  Must be incidental to the enjoyment of the dwellinghouse.  Building heights are measured from the highest land level – (i.e. in cases where there is a sloping site):

Class F – Hardstanding  If the hard surface would be: situated on land between a wall forming the principle elevation of the dwellinghouse and a highway; and would have an area exceeding 5 square metres then the hard surface shall be made of porous materials, or provision shall be made to direct run-off water from the hard surface to a permeable or porous area or surface within the curtilage of the dwellinghouse.

Examples of permeable surfaces Examples taken from Communities and Local Government document titled ‘Guidance on permeable surfacing of front gardens ’

Installation of domestic microgeneration equipment  Part 40 came into force in  Class A – The installation, alteration or replacement of solar PV or solar thermal equipment. PD on a dwellinghouse and on outbuildings located within curtilage of a dwellinghouse. Must not protrude more than 200mm beyond the planes of the wall or roof slope. Must not exceed highest part of the roof. Within Conservation Areas must not be located on a wall or roof slope on the dwelling or outbuilding that would be visible from the highway. Cannot be installed within the curtilage of a Listed Building.

 Class B – The installation, alteration or replacement of a stand alone solar within the curtilage of a dwellinghouse: Must not exceed 4m in height If located in a Conservation Area must not be visible from a highway Must be situated over 5m from the boundary of the curtilage Not permitted development if it is located within the curtilage of a Listed Building The surface area of the solar panels must not exceed 9 square metres.

 Class C – The installation, alteration or replacement of a ground source heat pump within the curtilage of a dwellinghouse  Class D – The installation, alteration or replacement of a water source heat pump within the curtilage of a dwellinghouse  Class E – The installation, alteration or replacement of a flue, forming part of a biomass heating system, on a dwellinghouse  Class F – The installation, alteration or replacement of a flue, forming part of a combined heat and power system, on a dwellinghouse

Restrictions  22 Conservation Areas located within the Three Rivers District  8 Conservation Area Article 4 Directions  351 Listed Buildings  Chorleywood Common Conservation Area Appraisal and Article 4 Direction adopted in 2010.

Further Information   