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Do you need planning permission?

You can make certain types of minor changes or some minor development to your house without the need to apply for planning permission. This is called “permitted development”.

The Planning Portal has a very helpful interactive guide. This provides guidance on whether the works you are proposing fall within “permitted development”.

The Planning Portal also provides planning and building regulation guidance for many common building work projects for the home.

Permitted development may not always apply, may be subject to limitations or conditions, or may have been removed.

To find out if your permitted development rights have been removed by a planning condition, or if there are any constraints to your property such as conservation area, listed building and an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB), you can check the planning history of the property.

A limitation or condition of permitted development can be the need to submit an application for ‘Prior Approval’ for specific elements of a development. Find out more and view what projects require ‘Prior Approval’ here.

You many also be liable for a charge under the Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL). For example, CIL will apply if you’re creating more than 100 square metres of new floor area even if the works are considered permitted development. Find out more about the Community Infrastructure Levy here.

Please note: the interactive guide on the planning portal website is an informative guide only. If you want to check what you are proposing requires permission from us, please submit an application for a lawful development certificate.

Apply for a lawful development certificate

You can apply for a lawful development certificate to get the council’s formal decision on whether you need planning permission for your proposed work.

For simple projects, you may not consider this formal determination necessary but any work you carry out is done at your own risk. You may find a certificate helpful when you come to sell your property in terms of providing certainty to prospective purchasers.

Submit an application for lawful development certificate

Guidance on completing application for Lawful Development Certificate

Along with your application you will need to submit:

  • A location plan
  • Any relevant plans and drawings
  • Any relevant supporting information
  • If you are extending a property, please include details on materials used externally, including walls, roofs, doors and windows

Fees

Use the Planning Portal Fee Calculator to help you work out the cost of an application.

More information on lawful development certificate applications can be found here.

Contact us - Planning

01235 422600
(Text phone users add 18001 before dialing)

planning@whitehorsedc.gov.uk

Vale of White Horse District Council
Abbey House
Abbey Close
Abingdon
OX14 3JE

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