How will I know if I require planning permission?
There a number of ways to check on whether you require planning permission to carry out works to your house or business, the information below should give you a good starting point, also the Planning Portal (see related links) has good information on this subject. If you are still not sure, please write in to the Planning Department describing what you want to do (and including a sketch plan showing your proposal, its dimensions and with some photographs where possible). A Planning Officer will then contact you advising you whether you need planning permission, and send you any relevant forms.
Below, is a brief guide to certain works which may require planning permission.
Domestic Works (extensions and alterations to dwellings)
In general, dwellings are allowed a certain amount of extension or building work within their curtilages (gardens) before planning permission is required. This is known as permitted development.
The rules and regulations defining what is permitted development are detailed complicated. They take in to consideration:
- The volume of the proposed building works.
- The position in relation to the existing house, boundaries and the highway.
- Any previous built development which has been added to the original dwelling or curtilage.
As a general guide:
- Detached and semi-detached houses/bungalows are allowed 70 cubic metres of built development (calculated by the length x width x height).
- Terraced properties and all houses within a conservation area are allowed 50 cubic metres of built development (calculated by the length x width x height).
- Conservatories are classed as extensions (built development).
- Any built development, which is positioned or projects between the existing house and a highway (road or footpath) will require planning permission (unless it is a porch with a floor area of 3 square metres or less and is set back at least 2 metres from the highway and no higher than 3 metres).
- If a proposed building is more than 5 metres away from the dwelling (and not positioned between the dwelling and a highway) up to 50% of the dwelling's curtilage (garden) can be covered by the building if it is less than 3 metres in height with a flat roof or 4 metres with a pitched roof.
If you are thinking of carrying out some building works to your home such as erecting a garage, adding an extension or adding a conservatory a 'Householder Enquiry' form is available from Planning Services which when completed and returned to Planning Services, will enable you to be advised by a planning officer, whether or not you require planning permission.
To request a 'Householder Enquiry' form see the contacts section at the back of this leaflet.
Other developments relating to dwellings, which can require planning permission are:
- Erection of fences/walls.
- Satellite antennas/dishes.
- Dormer windows.
- Car ports.
- Bay windows.
- Oil storage containers.
We strongly advise you to contact Planning Services before carryout any alterations to your property. The relevant contact details can be found at the top of this page.
Creating an Access
If you wish to form an access from a piece of land onto a Trunk road or a Classified road, you will need planning permission.
Erection of a New Building
Generally, if there is not already a building on an area of land, planning permission will be required to build on it.
Business Premises
Most work to business premises, whether it be to buildings or land will require planning permission.
Demolition of a Building
Permission is not always needed to demolish a building. However, there are situations where permission is required, so you are advised to check with a Planning Officer before demolition is carried out. Planning permission may also be required to re-build a demolished or partly demolished building. Demolition of buildings and structures within a Conservation Area generally require Conservation Area Consent.
Change of Use
The use of a building or an area of land will fall into a category within the Town and Country Planning (Use Classes) Order 1987. Changing the use from one category to another may require planning permission. You should check with a Planning Officer before changing the use.
The uses classes cover such uses as Shops, Food and Drink, Financial and Professional Services, Business, General Industry, Storage and Distribution, Dwelling Houses, Residential Institutions, Hotels, Non-residential Institutions, Assembly and Leisure.
Some uses fall into a 'special category' called Sui Generis. This category includes any uses not falling into any of the above mentioned categories. Any use changing to a use within this category will require planning permission.
Below are some examples of permitted and non-permitted changes of use:
- Estate Agent to Tanning Salon requires planning permission.
- Dwelling to Guest House requires planning permission.
- Newsagent to Hot Food Takeaway requires planning permission.
- Dwelling to Flats requires planning permission.
- Petrol filling Station to Car Sales lot requires planning permission.
- Farmland to garden requires planning permission.
- Post Office to Hair Dressers does not require planning permission.
- Restaurant to Supermarket does not require planning permission.
- Wholesale warehouse to sewing factory does not require planning permission.
In general, if the proposed use is within the same 'use class' as the existing use, then planning permission is not required to change. However, uses within certain use classes are able to change to other uses classes without requiring planning permission.
For example, Newsagents , Hairdressers, Post Office, Pet Shop, Supermarket, Sandwich bars (which don't predominately sell hot food), Florists, Green Grocers, Off-Licence are all uses within class A1 (shops) in the Town and Country Planning (Use Classes) Order 1987. Therefore the use can be changed from any of the above, to any of the above without requiring planning permission as they are all in the same use class.
Hot Food Takeaways, Restaurants, Pubs, Cafes are all uses within class A3 (Food and Drink) of the Town and Country Planning (Use Classes) Order 1987. Planning permission is required to change from a class A1 (Shop) use to a class A3 (Food and Drink) use. However planning permission is not required to change from a class A3 (Food and Drink) use to a class A1 (Shop).
We strongly advise you to contact Planning Services before changing the use of a property. The relevant contacts are listed at the back of this leaflet.
Outdoor Advertisements
Express consent is required for the majority of outdoor advertisements, including shop signs and poster boards. For example all illuminated adverts require consent. There are however, certain exceptions. You should contact the Planning Department to find out whether you will require consent for your proposed adverts.
Planning Portal
Doncaster Council works in partnership with the Planning Portal to provide services and information about the planning system. A direct link to the UK site is available under 'Related Links' in the left hand menu.
