Since May 2013, homeowners in England have benefitted from a doubling of the permitted development (PD) rights for single-storey rear extensions (if you’re planning a project, be sure to check out our beginner’s guide on page 78). The rules boost the normal allowances so you can build out up to 8m from the original back wall of a detached house (rather than the previous 4m) and up to 6m from a semi or terraced home (previously 3m), without having to apply for formal planning permission. But as I write, these supersized PD rights are currently only due to be in effect up to 30th May this year; and you still need to make a neighbour consultation application for these larger schemes (which can take 42 days to clear). What’s more, the addition would have to be completed by 30th May. When this edition of the mag hits the shelves, that deadline will only be 64 days away…which doesn’t leave much time for a consultation and to actually build the thing! Some other projects, such as office-to-residential conversions, are in the same boat.
With any luck, by the time you read this, the government will have made an announcement about what’s going to happen with the larger home extension scheme – but they’re cutting it super-fine. I wouldn’t be at all surprised if some homeowners are rushing (which will risk mistakes) or holding offcommencing their PD extensions for fear of not finishing on site by 30th May. Obviously this only affects certain types of project, and you can still be sure of your PD rights for smaller extensions (or try the formal planning permission route). But the wait brings uncertainty to an initiative that was intended to enable more projects to get started quickly, help local businesses and boost the economy. Our Build It Live planning expert, Julia Riddle, will be keeping you up-to-date on the all latest about these permitted development rules at www.self-build.co.uk/pd-news.