When Do You Need To Work On Planning Permission?

By Author: Garry Stacks
Total Articles: 338
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When you need to work on planning permission, it's important to know the difference between planning permission and building regulations.
 
The law says you need Berkshire planning permission for 'developments' - that is, anything that changes the appearance of your property. This could include adding a conservatory, changing its colour or type of roofing, or adding extra floors to your house.
 
Building regulations are laws that govern how buildings are built and what materials they can be made of. They're designed to ensure that your house is safe, secure and able to withstand natural disasters like flooding or earthquakes.
 
Planning permission is different. It's a legal agreement between the council and the property owner that allows a certain property to be built in certain ways. If you want to build an extension onto your house, for example, then you'll need to get planning permission from your local council before you start construction work.
 
An application for planning permission is called a 'planning ...
... application'. It's usually made by the owner of the land, but it can also be made by someone else if they have an interest in the development. The council has to consider whether your proposed development would be considered 'major' - this means it would affect a significant number of people's lives and their homes.
 
If you're planning a small change to your home that doesn't affect many people's lives, then there may not be much point in applying for planning permission - but if you want to build an extension or change the roofing on your house then you should probably apply for planning permission first!
 
It’s not always easy to know when you need Berkshire planning permission. Some changes can be made without it and others will require it. You can find out if you need planning permission by asking yourself these questions:
 
Is the work dangerous? If so, you'll need to get an emergency stop order from the council before starting work on your property. This is because certain types of work require an ESD (emergency stop direction) from the council before they can begin. Examples include scaffolding, welding and plumbing work.
 
Is it temporary? If the work will last less than six months, it's likely that you won't need planning permission at all. However, if it's planned for longer than six months then it's likely that you'll need planning permission for one of these reasons: to build permanent structures such as fences or sheds to dig foundations.



About the Author: This contribution has been made by Garry Stacks who has written a number of articles on Berkshire Planning Permission and provides fruitful information.