Help and Guidance
We have listed here some guidance on how to plan, choose and order your conservatory. If you cannot find the answer to your question, please give us a call.
Do you need planning permission for your conservatory?
Adding a conservatory to your house is considered to be permitted development, not needing an application for planning permission, subject to the limits and conditions listed below.
- No more than half the area of land around the "original house"* would be covered by additions or other buildings.
- No extension forward of the principal elevation or side elevation fronting a highway.
- No extension to be higher than the highest part of the roof.
- Maximum depth of a single-storey rear extension of three metres for an attached house and four metres for a detached house.
- Maximum height of a single-storey rear extension of four metres.
- Maximum depth of a rear extension of more than one storey of three metres including ground floor.
- Maximum eaves height of an extension within two metres of the boundary of three metres.
- Maximum eaves and ridge height of extension no higher than existing house.
- Side extensions to be single storey with maximum height of four metres and width no more than half that of the original house.
- Roof pitch of extensions higher than one storey to match existing house.
- No verandas, balconies or raised platforms.
- On designated land no permitted development for rear extensions of more than one storey; no cladding of the exterior; no side extensions.
There is an excellent, interactive guide available from the Planning Portal website. Click here for a link to it.
Do I need Building Regulation approval?
Conservatories are normally exempt from building regulations when:- They are built at ground level and are less than 30 square metres in floor area.
- The conservatory is separated from the house by external quality walls, doors or windows.
- There should be an independent heating system with separate temperature and on/off controls.
- Glazing and any fixed electrical installations comply with the applicable building regulations requirements
Any new structural opening between the conservatory and the existing house will require building regulations approval, even if the conservatory itself is an exempt structure.
As always, please check with your local planning and building control departments before ordering your conservatory, as the rules do change from time to time.
