Planning a new room or extension to your home will give you more space, and with a conservatory, these new additions will bring in lots of light. You may think that your home extension is small and won’t need planning permission. It is always advisable to check with the local authority before starting home renovations.

Choosing to add a conservatory can be a big decision and financial investment, although the extra room and value-added to your home can make the project worth it. An experienced window company and conservatory installer will be able to give advice. They will help you through the process of adding a conservatory to your home.

Will I need planning permission for my conservatory?

Whether a conservatory needs planning permission or not depends on the specifications of the project. Changing the use of land and the footprint of your home will often require planning permission. Conservatories are often an exception to this rule, although they have to fit specific criteria. You should contact your local council to confirm the planning restrictions that apply to your home before any construction begins.

Permitted development rules issued by the UK planning authority allow conservatories without planning permission when complying with certain conditions, these are:

No more than half the land area around the original house will be covered by additions
A single-storey extension on the rear of a property does not extend 4m past the original house if detached or 3m if attached
The extension or addition is not higher than the highest point of the roof of the house
A rear single-storey extension is not higher than 4m
The eaves and ridge height of any addition are not higher than the original house
Any extension bigger than one storey has a roof pitch that matches the existing home
The addition does not include verandas, raised platforms or balconies

The government doubled the size of conservatories that can be built without permission in 2013. This allows you to create a conservatory that can extend up to 8 metres out from your detached house or 6 metres from an attached property. While you won’t need planning permission, you will need to do a “Neighbour Consultation Scheme” for conservatories of this size. This will make sure that your proposed project will not have any negative impact on your neighbours’ property or living space.

Terraced houses, flats, and maisonettes will require planning permission for any addition or conservatory.

Choosing a conservatory company

A good conservatory company and an experienced installer will be able to assist you in the process. They will be able to assess your chosen design and your home’s location to determine if planning permission is needed. Listed buildings or homes in conservation areas can be subject to additional restrictions, and a window and conservatory company will be able to talk you through this.

There are also building regulations that will need to be considered. This is separate to planning permission. Conservatories are usually exempt from these standards, but there are some exceptions. If you want to remove the external wall of the house that leads to the conservatory, you will need to prove that the conservatory is energy efficient. Again, a conservatory fitter will be able to talk you through any requirements that will need to be covered.

Here at Norman & Underwood, we have been carrying out conservatory installations in Leicester and the surrounding areas for many years. As the conservatory supplier Leicester residents turn to, we pride ourselves on making the process as easy as possible.