Building an extension without planning permission...

[sandyRoe]

A house in the street was sold recently. The new owners have demolished the old kitchen and have started to build an extension about 3 times the size of what they've demolished. They haven't applied for planning permission. Should I report them?

[ummmm]

How does it affect you?

[sandyRoe]

It doesn't.

[McMouse]

They may not require planning permission if it is a "permitted development". Why would you want to report them.......are they bothering you?

[ummmm]

Then don't report them.

[sandyRoe]

I never really intended to report them. I was wondering how they could build without planning when I needed it before I had our work done.

[LoftyLottie]

I am being serious. It's not nice reporting people. However, a reputable builder will always find out if there is planning permission before doing the job as their reputation is on the line. Planning permission also means that building regulations have to be followed and checks are made at various stages. Personally I would make discrete enquiries rather than report.

[factor-fiction]

If it's likely to have an adverse effect on the price of other properties, or it's an eyesore which badly affects the appearance of the street, or if it doesn't comply with building regulations then I'd be tempted to report it if I were certain that permission hadn't been given. As you say, why should you have had to apply and pay for permission when others simply ignore therequirement

[paddywak]

Go to your local council web page and check to the planning section.They post all applications in plenty of time for people to object if they want too.

[LoftyLottie]

I agree factor30. If people all ignored such things just imagine what would happen!

[Nosha123]

surely its in their own interests to ensure planning permission is in place. SInce they wont be able to sell it without it!
PLUS.. how do they know that the build is of good quality if no-one is inspecting it!

Some people are funny eh!

[Nosha123]

even if planning isnt required - they would still need building regs for a new kitchen extension!

[The Builder]

Sandy, check this out to put your mind at rest .............. what can be done under "permitted development"
http://www.planningpo...s/hhg/houseguide.html

[modeller]

A few years back the regulations were changed which allowed a house owner to extend the property by 12% without permission . I don't know if that still applies.

[buildersmate]

For 'a few years back' read October 2010 and then again in March 2010.
Don't know where modeller gets this magic 12% from - no such simple number exists. What you can do under permitted development depends on the scale and position of what you wish to do - not some magic number.
And just to re-affirm what nosha correctly says, planning consent and building regulations approval are two ENTIRELY different things.

[malagabob]

Buildersmate.Am I right or wrong in saying you dont need planning permision if the new build is 70 cubic metres,or less?

[Davethedog]

How do you know they don't have planning permission?

[landscaper2]

We have just completed an extension on our house and were told that as long as the new work did not extend further than 3mtrs from the exisiting rear wall, we could procede without planning permission. Work started a year ago this week and within a month we were up to 1st floor gutter height, when we received a letter from planning saying we needed permission after all, because we were infilling the 'L' shaped bit of our house(its a standard Edwardian shape with galley kitchen) as well as going out 3mtrs from the back and planning wanted the measurement taken from the furthest point back (6mtrs). Panic! The planning officer said "dont worry, lots of people make that mistake - but you still need permission!" Cheers! So we had a 4month shutdown. Moral here is dont rely on the internet, builder, architect or a phone call to the council, always go to the planners!

[sandyRoe]

Dave,
the people who own a house further along the street from the one under discussion did apply for planning permission and the council wrote to most of the neighbours explaining what was happening. There's been no information from them about this project.

[bushbaby_de]

Malagabob -- 70 cubic metres is the old rules.

As The Builder has pointed out, the Planning Portal website is the place to check out what the current allowances are. Its surprising just how big an extension you can build without planning permission these days.

landscaper2 - you certainly can rely on the internet if you use the planning portal website. Anyone calling the Council where I work asking whether or not something is permitted development is directed straight to that website.

[boxtops]

Our neighbours put up a large ground floor conservatory but they didn't need permission as it was within the existing building line. It doesn't block our light and they just did it.