Work that needs planning permission

Permitted development rights

You can make certain types of changes to your house without needing to apply for planning permission. These are called permitted development rights.

Permitted development rights allow for larger house extensions as well as changes to commercial properties.

The following are allowed without the need for planning permission:

  • larger single storey rear extensions to residential properties
  • larger extensions to industrial and warehousing premises, shops and offices
  • conversions between office and residential uses
  • more flexible uses of shops, offices, residential institutions and agricultural buildings
  • easier conversion of premises for school uses
  • telecom installations in conservation areas

If you wish to carry out one of the above you will still need to tell us what you want to do through a prior notification application.

Permitted development rights may have been removed by conditions attached to previous planning consents at some locations – you should use our planning constraints map to check whether constraints may affect your development plans.

Go to the Planning Portal permitted development rights web page for full details of permitted development rights criteria and procedure.