A loft conversion is an increasingly popular way of expanding your living space and adding value to your home. Even better, the majority of loft conversions won't need planning permission for you to start the construction. This can cut down on the time and cost of converting your loft.
There are some types of loft conversions, however, that will need planning permission. And certain properties will always need to get permission, regardless of the type of conversion. You will always need to follow building regulations regardless of whether you need planning permission.
Most loft conversions don't involve making significant alterations to the existing roof so won't require planning permission. A more ambitious loft extension or conversion will often require permission, however.
This type of loft conversion doesn't involve altering the roof space at all. Instead, roof lights are installed on the existing roof slope. Otherwise, the majority of the changes will be internal, such as insulation, floor joists, and a staircase.
A dormer loft conversion is one of the most popular options. It involves projecting a box-like structure above the roof slope. There are a variety of dormer types, including rear dormers and L-shaped dormers, that take into account the shape of the house and any ground floor extensions.
The box structure adds additional headroom while retaining the existing roof slope.
A hip-to-gable loft conversion can be an option for semi-detached houses with a hipped roof. The hipped slope is converted to a near-vertical wall to create a gable, providing much more space and headroom.
A mansard loft conversion is the most ambitious type of loft conversion and you will need planning permission for this. It involves raising the party wall to elevate the roof line and create the maximum amount of space.
Let's take a look at the rules around planning permission in more detail. Planning permission for a loft conversion isn't typical but it is something that you, or your loft conversion company, will need to consider before going ahead with the construction.
Planning permission involves asking your local council for a building permit to begin construction, extension, and sometimes demolition. The council will consider a variety of factors. For example:
Discover: How Do You Know If You Can Have A Loft Conversion
The rules around planning permission have been somewhat relaxed concerning extending an existing house. Permitted development rights allow homeowners to extend their property within fairly strict guidelines without needing to seek permission from the local planning authority.
These include:
There are also several conditions that the conversion itself must meet under permitted development rules.
For example:
Because a mansard loft conversion will extend beyond the height of the roof, it will need planning permission under these rules.
But there are other situations where even a more modest loft conversion will need planning permission before it can go ahead.
Permitted development rights will only usually apply to a property:
Some listed buildings will also require planning permission before any of their external features are altered.
Whether you will need planning permission for a loft conversion or your conversion comes under permitted development rights, the construction will always need to abide by building regulations. These are managed by your local council's building control and they provide strict rules and guidelines to follow.
Once your loft conversion is finished, a final sign-off from building control will give you a completion certificate. A surveyor will assess the conversion to see if it meets all of the strict building regulations and will certify that it did so.
Building regulations for loft conversions cover a wide range of aspects and are mainly focused on safety.
These include:
If your loft conversion doesn't meet building regulations approval, then it can't be classed as an additional room. This will lower the value that it adds to the property. Perhaps more importantly, however, not following building regulations can mean the structure is unsafe.
If your property is a terraced house, an end-of-terraced house, or a semi-detached house, then you will share at least one wall with an adjoining neighbour.
A party wall is a wall of a structure that is owned by two people. When either owner wants to make changes to the wall, they must seek permission from the other owner.
While it may not be clear at first glance why roof extensions or loft conversions might require permission from your neighbour, the work will almost always involve changes being made to the party wall. This is because the party wall is the best option for a load-bearing wall that can sustain the weight of new joists or beams due to its lack of windows or doors.
At least two months before work begins, you will need to send all of your adjoining neighbours a written Party Wall Notice stating your intention to start work and a plan for what the loft conversion will entail.
Your neighbour(s) will then have 14 days to respond, also in writing. At this point, they can either consent to the loft conversion or refuse. A lack of response is counted as a refusal and should not be taken as implicit consent.
If your neighbour refuses to give their consent for the loft conversion, then your next step will be to hire a surveyor. Their job will be to assess the plans for the loft conversion, the impact it might have on your neighbour and their property, and to come up with a solution that protects everyone's best interests.
If you and your neighbour can't agree on a surveyor to represent you both, you can each hire one separately (you will be liable for the cost of both). The surveyors will collect each neighbour's point of view, preferences, and concerns and then will come together to formulate a plan. After they have gathered your views, they will each be impartial. The goal is to protect everyone's best interests.
If the two surveyors can't agree on a way forward then a third surveyor can make the final decision on the best course of action.
Check out: Do I Need A Party Wall Agreement For Loft Conversion
We have decades of experience in creating high-quality loft conversions for a wide variety of properties. And we have extensive knowledge of the ins and outs of planning permission, permitted development rules, building regulations, and party wall agreements.
This can be a challenging and time-consuming area to navigate and our team of experts are on hand to help you every step of the way. From the design stage of the loft conversion, we will have strict rules and regulations in mind and we will design your conversion in such a way that it meets these perfectly.
If your conversion does require planning permission, we will develop a proposal and design plan that sets out the intentions for the loft conversion and tackles any potential concerns that the planning committee may have.
The majority of loft conversions won't require planning permission because they don't alter the shape or height of the roof. Some loft conversions, such as a mansard conversion, do incorporate a roof extension and this would need planning permission. Some properties, such as those in a conservation area, will always require planning permission regardless of the type of proposed loft conversion. Even if your loft conversion doesn't need permission, it will still need building regulations approval for it to go ahead.
