You want to change something about your home - extend the kitchen, convert the loft, build something in the garden. Before you can start, you need to know whether you need planning permission. For many home improvements in England, the answer is no. The government grants automatic permission for certain types of work through a system called permitted development.
Permitted development means you can build without submitting an application, without paying the £548 householder fee, and without waiting 8-13 weeks for a decision. But it comes with conditions. If you breach even one of them, your project technically doesn't have permission - and that can cause serious problems when you sell, remortgage, or if a neighbour complains.
This page explains how the system works, what you can build, and where the limits are.
The legal framework is the Town and Country Planning (General Permitted Development) (England) Order 2015 - commonly called the GPDO. It grants planning permission automatically for defined types of development, subject to specific conditions, limitations, and exceptions set out in Schedule 2 of the Order.
For homeowners, the most relevant section is Part 1 of Schedule 2, which covers development within the curtilage of a dwellinghouse. Within Part 1, there are several Classes, each covering a different type of work. Every Class has its own set of conditions - and every condition must be met for the work to qualify.
Permitted development is not a free pass. It's automatic permission with precise conditions. Miss one and you don't have permission at all.
Covers the enlargement, improvement, or other alteration of a house - rear extensions, side extensions, conservatories. Conditions include depth limits (4m detached, 3m semi/terrace), height limits (4m single storey, eaves capped at existing house), materials matching, no forward extensions, no balconies, and 50% curtilage coverage. A prior approval route allows larger single-storey rear extensions (up to 8m detached, 6m others) for a £249 fee. Full extensions guide.
Covers additions or alterations to the roof. Volume limits of 50 cubic metres (detached/semi) or 40 cubic metres (terrace), measured externally and cumulative. No front dormers. Rear dormers must be set back 200mm from the eaves. Side windows must be obscure-glazed. No balconies. Class B rights are completely removed on designated land. Full loft conversion guide.
Covers alterations to the roof that don't enlarge it - primarily rooflights and skylights. Must not project more than 150mm from the existing roof plane or exceed the highest part of the roof. Side-facing windows must be obscure-glazed.
Covers buildings incidental to the enjoyment of the house - sheds, garden rooms, workshops, garages, greenhouses. Must be single storey, behind the principal elevation, and within height limits that depend on proximity to boundaries (2.5m within 2m of a boundary, up to 4m with a dual-pitched roof further away). Total ground coverage of all structures must not exceed 50% of the curtilage. Full outbuilding guide.
Class D covers porches. Class F covers hard surfaces (driveways, patios). Class G covers chimneys and flues. Class H covers satellite dishes. These are less commonly queried but follow the same structure of conditions and limitations.
If you know what you want to build, the free eligibility check tells you whether your property qualifies in about two minutes.
Permitted development rights apply to houses in England. They do not apply to flats, maisonettes, or buildings containing flats. If you live in a flat, even internal alterations may need the freeholder's consent, and any external work needs planning permission. See our leasehold guide.
Listed buildings require planning permission and listed building consent for virtually any alteration, internal or external. See our listed buildings guide.
Designated areas - conservation areas, National Parks, AONBs, World Heritage Sites, and the Broads - have additional restrictions. Side extensions and roof extensions are not PD on designated land. Some rights are reduced rather than removed entirely.
Article 4 directions can remove specific PD rights in defined areas. These are made by local councils and are most common in conservation areas. See our Article 4 guide.
Houses created through a change of use under certain GPDO classes (G, MA, N, P, PA, Q) do not have Part 1 PD rights.
Planning conditions on the original planning permission for your house may have removed PD rights. This is common on new-build estates where the developer's planning permission included a condition restricting further development.
Allowances don't reset when you buy a house. If a previous owner used the permitted development allowance, you inherit whatever remains. The 50% curtilage limit, the loft volume allowance, and the rear depth measurement are all cumulative across all owners. See our previous extension guide.
Balconies and raised platforms are never PD. A balcony, veranda, or any platform above 300mm always needs planning permission. Juliet balconies (no floor) are the exception. See our balcony and decking guide.
Front dormers are never PD. You cannot extend beyond the front roof slope under permitted development. See our front dormer guide.
Planning permission is not building regulations. Even if your project is PD and doesn't need planning permission, you almost certainly need building regulations approval. These are separate systems. Most extensions and all loft conversions require building regulations sign-off for structural safety, fire safety, and insulation.
A builder's assurance is not a legal document. The responsibility for having the correct permission sits with the homeowner, not the contractor. If the work doesn't meet PD conditions, it's your problem.
If your work qualifies as permitted development, you don't legally need any approval. But we strongly recommend applying for a Lawful Development Certificate (LDC) from your council. The current fee is £274 via the Planning Portal.
An LDC is formal written confirmation that the proposed work is lawful and doesn't need planning permission. It protects you if there's ever a dispute - with a neighbour, with the council, or during a sale. When you sell, the buyer's solicitor will almost certainly ask whether any extensions or alterations have planning permission or an LDC. Without one, the sale can stall or fall through.
If work has been done without planning permission and it doesn't qualify as PD, you can apply for retrospective planning permission. The fee and process are the same as a normal application (£548 for householder). If the work would have been approved, it usually will be. If not, the council can issue an enforcement notice requiring modification or removal.
Since 25 April 2024, all planning breaches in England have a single 10-year enforcement window. If unauthorised work has existed continuously for 10 years without enforcement action, it becomes immune. Listed buildings have no time limit. For full details, see our retrospective planning permission guide.
Where to go next
Planning an extension? Extensions guide - depth limits, height rules, prior approval.
Planning a loft conversion? Loft conversion guide - volume limits, dormers, rooflights.
Planning an outbuilding? Shed and outbuilding guide - height limits, boundary rules, incidental use.
Planning a conservatory? Conservatory guide - same rules as extensions, with one difference.
In a conservation area? Article 4 guide - check whether your PD rights have been removed.
Own a leasehold flat? Leasehold guide - different rules, different process.
Own a listed building? Listed buildings guide - you need consent for almost everything.
PD Assessment Tool
A professional permitted development assessment from a planning consultant typically costs £400-600 and takes 2-3 weeks. This tool checks your specific project against every relevant condition and produces a formal document you can share with your builder, your architect, or your council.
The first step checks whether your property is eligible - about two minutes, completely free. If your property qualifies, the full project assessment is £47.
Free eligibility check. Full assessment £47.
Content verified against the Town and Country Planning (General Permitted Development) (England) Order 2015 (as amended), Part 1, Schedule 2, Classes A through H (legislation.gov.uk, revised version) and the government's technical guidance (September 2019). Enforcement time limits verified against the Levelling Up and Regeneration Act 2023. Fees confirmed as of 1 April 2026. SI 2026/313 confirmed no changes to Part 1 Classes A, B, C, or E. This page is for general information only and does not constitute legal advice.
April 2026