The links below will take you to the answers to some of the most
frequently asked questions we are asked about alterations and
extensions to domestic properties:
Supplementary Planning Guidance 16 'House
alterations & extensions', contains useful guidance, recommends
approaches to design and sets out the criteria that will be used to
judge planning applications for domestic alterations and
extensions.
Important - if it appears that planning
permission is not required once you have read the answers below,
you are advised to contact the Planning Helpdesk
on 01394 444403 / 444423 / 444428
for advice or print off and complete our
householder alterations form (new window PDF
26KB) so that a double check can be made.
Permitted development rights may have been removed on a previous
planning application, meaning planning permission may still be
required.
Follow this link for help with downloading and opening PDF files.
Do I need planning permission for internal
alterations?
You do not need to apply for planning permission for any
building works that are entirely contained within the home and have
no effect on the outside of the building: e.g. removal of internal
walls, installing a new kitchen. However, you may require Building
Regulations approval, so you should
contact our building control section for advice
before you start. If your home is a listed building, you will
probably also need to
apply for listed building consent.
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Do I need planning permission to add an extension or
conservatory to my home?
If your home is a flat, you will need to apply for planning
permission.
If your home is a house and you occupy all of it, you will need
to apply for planning permission if the extension or
conservatory:
- Is higher than the highest part of the roof of your house or
includes an alteration to any part of the roof.
- Is nearer the road than the original house, and within 20
metres of the road, whichever is closer.
- For a terraced house or any house in a conservation area,
results in the cubic content of the 'original house' being enlarged
by more than 50 cubic metres or 10%, whichever is greater.
- Exceeds four metres in height within two metres of the
boundary.
- For a detached or semi-detached house, not in a conservation
area, results in the cubic content of the 'original house' being
enlarged by more than 70 cubic metres or 15%, whichever is the
greater.
- Is in any case more than 115 cubic metres in total.
- Covers more than 50% of the area around the 'original
house'
The 'original house' is defined as a house as originally built,
or as it existed on 1st July 1948, whichever is the later date.
When calculating cubic content other buildings within the
grounds of a house count against the extension allowance when they
would be within five metres of your house or the extension brings
the outbuilding within five metres. Outside conservation areas, the
erection of new buildings within the grounds of a house that have a
cubic content of at least 10 cubic metres are treated as extensions
if they are within five metres of the house. However, if your home
is a listed building, you will probably also need to
apply for listed building consent.
You are advised to download, print and complete our
householder alterations form (new window PDF
26KB) to get an informal opinion as to whether planning
permission is needed or not. You will require Building
Regulations approval so you should
contact our building control section for
advice before you start.
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Do I need planning permission for gates, fences and
walls?
Unless your home is covered by a previous planning condition or
is listed, you will not need to apply for planning permission to
build gates, fences and walls unless:
- The structures are higher than 1 metre when adjacent to highway
used for vehicular traffic (there is no specific definition of
adjacent, but this is normally taken to be around 1 - 2 metres.
Highway verge adjacent to a road would also count as highway).
- The structures are higher than 2 metres elsewhere.
- Your home is a listed building.
If your home is a listed building, you will also need to
apply for listed building consent if the
structure is to be attached to any part of the building.
Planning permission is not needed for the planting of hedges,
shrubs and trees.
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Do I need planning permission for a porch?
If your home is a flat you will need to apply for planning
permission.
If you live in a house you will need to apply for planning
permission if the porch:
- Is greater than three metres above ground level.
- Has a ground area of more than three square metres.
- Is less than two metres from a highway.
- If your home is a listed building, you will also need to apply
for
apply for listed building consent.
You will also require Building Regulations approval so you
should contact our building control section for advice
before you start.
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Do I need planning permission for vehicle access?
If your home is a flat you will need to apply for planning
permission.
If your house is on a classified road (i.e. A, B or C road) you
will need to apply for planning permission.
If you live in a house, which is not on a classified road, and
occupy all of it, you will not need planning permission for vehicle
access to a hard standing, unless you need to carry out significant
engineering work such as regrading a bank or excavating a
significant amount of soil.
Even if you do not need planning permission, you will need the
separate approval of
Suffolk County Council (new window) if the
new or widened access crosses a pavement or verge.
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Do I need planning permission for a hard standing or
patio?
If your home is a flat, you may need to apply for planning
permission to build a hard standing or patio.
If your home is a house and you occupy all of it, you do not
need to apply for planning permission to build a hard standing or
patio as long as this is to be used for domestic purposes.
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Do I need planning permission for a garage?
If your home is a flat, you will need to apply for planning
permission.
If your home is a house and you occupy all of it, and unless the
garage can be counted as an extension (i.e. is within five metres
of the house), you will need to apply for planning permission if
the garage:
- Is nearer to the road than the original house, or within 20
metres, whichever is closer.
- Together with other buildings and additions/extensions covers
more than 50% of the land around the 'original house'.
- Is more than three metres high if it is to have a
flat/monopitched roof, or more than four metres high if it is to
have a ridged roof.
- Is located in a conservation area.
- Is within the curtilage of a listed building.
If your garage is to be attached to your house it will be
treated as an extension. If it is to be within five metres of your
house and your house is not in a conservation area, it will also be
treated as an extension. The 'original house' is defined as a house
as originally built or as existing on 1st July 1948, whichever is
the later.
You are advised to download, print and complete our
householder alterations form (new window PDF
26KB) to get an informal opinion as to whether planning
permission is needed or not. You will require Building
Regulations approval so you should
contact our building control section for
advice before you start.
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permission