A beginner’s guide to planning permission

If you’re thinking of doing some work to your home, or you want to carry out some building work, you might need permission. Here is everything you will need to know to get started.

If you already know you need permission or you already know how it works, check out our pages about getting your application underway.

Start

Do you need planning permission?

The best place to start is the Planning Portal. It is an independent website that explains everything you need to know about planning permission. It includes:

a list of common home improvement projects, which you can use to check if your project needs permission
a detailed guide to what works to your house need planning permission
information on how the planning process works
information on how to apply for planning permission

How long will it take?

We aim to make a decision on other and minor applications within eight weeks, and major applications within 13 weeks or 16 weeks if they include an Environmental Impact Assessment.

Further information is available on this government webpage

Here’s a breakdown of what we mean by major and minor applications:

Major Development

10+ dwellings / over half a hectare / building(s) exceeds 1000m²
Office / light industrial – 1000+ m² / 1+ hectare
General industrial – 1000+ m² / 1+ hectare
Retail – 1000+ m²/ 1+ hectare
Site area exceeds 1 hectare

Minor Development

1-9 dwellings (unless floorspace exceeds 1000m² / under half a hectare
Office / light industrial – up to 999 m²/ under 1 hectare
General industrial – up to 999 m²/ under 1 Hectare
Retail – up to 999 m²/ under 1 hectare

Other Development

Householder applications
Change of use (no operational development)
Adverts
Listed building extensions / alterations
Listed building demolition
Application for relevant demolition of an unlisted building within a Conservation Area
Certificates of Lawfulness (191 and 192)
Notifications
Permissions in Principle (PiP) and Technical Detail Consent (TDC)

How much does it cost?

It depends on what kind of application you need to make – there is a fee calculator on the Planning Portal. The government sets the fees and you can pay for your application online through the Planning Portal.

Some larger applications will mean you have to pay something known as Community Infrastructure Levy, or CIL. This is not normally the case for household improvements, unless you’re planning an entirely new building. You can find out more about the Community Infrastructure Levy here.

Who else will be involved?

We will write to your neighbours and invite them to comment on your application. Sometimes we will display a notice where the work is due to take place. Depending on the application, we will invite comments from organisations like the Environment Agency, the county council, your local parish council and English Heritage.

What else do you need to consider?

Here are some other things that might mean you have to put in a different kind of application, or might affect your chances of getting permission.
- To make sure your proposal has the best chance of being approved, please use our Design Guide.
- Check to see if you’re in a conservation area or if your building is listed, using our interactive map – read this page to find out how it might affect your application.
- If you’re planning to do any work that affects trees, read this page about trees that are protected.
- You’ll also need to consider the impact of your proposed development on local wildlife – this includes their habitat and species protected by law. Please visit our wildlife page for more information.