Planning for a Conservatory

If you are planning to build a conservatory, you may be concerned about whether or not you need planning permission or building regulation approval. The following advice applies to England/Wales residents and unfortunately excludes the rest of the UK and North America, which have different regulations. If you are unsure about your local building regulations you can contact your local governing body and tell them how you want to proceed and they will be able to help you further.

In England and Wales planning permission is not usually required for a conservatory. If you are planning to buy a conservatory to expand your home you will be able to proceed without the need for planning permission so long as you do not exceed the development limit. Depending on where you live this is approximately 50-70 cubic meters, so check up with your local council beforehand for the exact measurements in your area. It is also important to note that if your home has already been expanded in the past by yourself or a previous owner, this will have used up some if not all of your permitted development area. In this case you will need planning permission from your local council.

Many conservatories are exempt from building regulations requirements so long as they fulfil the necessary criteria. In order to avoid building regulations your conservatory must have a completely transparent or translucent roof, the walls must be substantially glazed and windows must cover at least 50% of the walls. The floor area of the extension must not exceed 30m squared and it must be situated at ground level. The conservatory must also be clearly separated from the remainder of the property joined by a door. Heating must be separately controlled within the conservatory such as electric radiators. All glass used for the conservatory must be toughened/safety glass. No plumbing or other draining facilities are included in the conservatory (for example sink, toilet or washing machine).

Planning for the perfect conservatory doesn’t have to be a headache with building regulations and planning permissions. When you have chosen your perfect conservatory check it out against the above requirements and call up your local governing body for further information on area specific requirements. Tell them what you are planning for your conservatory and they will be able to ask you the necessary question to give you accurate building regulations and planning permissions advice.

Many conservatories will already conform to most area’s requirements in order to make them much more accessible to customers. If you are unsure if your conservatory is up to scratch just ask the supplier and they will be happy to let you know further information such as whether or not it uses toughened glass, what proportion of the conservatory is windows and the dimensions of the conservatory so that you can investigate the requirements quickly and easily. In most cases you can rest assured you will not need planning permission or building regulations when you are planning for your perfect conservatory.