Garage Conversion - Planning Permission Needed?

[fullerj4]

Hi,

We are looking to convert our garage into a home office. This will include replacing the asbestos roof with a new flat roof and adding a PVC window and door where the existing garage door is. I am trying to work out whether or not we need planning permission. A builder has said it falls under building regs.

The local authority said I need to complete a "Lawful Certificate – Proposed” form, but I have no plans drawn up. Can you submit such a form without plans?

 

[mrrusty]

Is it a detached garage? If so, if it's not a habitable room it doesn't need building regs, just like any other exempt garden room (provided it's under 30sqm internal) https://www.planningportal.co.uk/pe...egulations-approval-needed-for-an-outbuilding and https://www.labc.co.uk/news/does-my-new-outbuilding-need-building-regulations-approval

If it's an attached garage then it definitely needs building regs.

 

[^woody^]

A home office won't need building regulations.

For planning, it may well be permitted development. Check if the property has permitted development rights if so, crack on no need to fill any forms in or apply for anything.

 

[noseall]

For planning, it may well be permitted development.

Surely this is considered as an (off road) parking loss?

 

[freddiemercurystwin]

Depends if the garage is original or not.

 

[^woody^]

Surely this is considered as an (off road) parking loss?

As an asbestos roof is mentioned, I doubt any of that malarky was even a passing thought in a planner's mind back in the day.

 

[Lucas01789]

It will be PD unless the property is in a Conservation Area or there was a condition on the planning permission for the original build which precludes the use for anything other than as a garage (i.e. the 'permitted development' rights have been removed) or the height of the roof is to be increased.

You don't have to submit a Certificate of Lawfulness application-this is entirely optional, and in my experience, not really worth it for householder developments.

 

[fullerj4]

It will be PD unless the property is in a Conservation Area or there was a condition on the planning permission for the original build which precludes the use for anything other than as a garage (i.e. the 'permitted development' rights have been removed) or the height of the roof is to be increased.

You don't have to submit a Certificate of Lawfulness application-this is entirely optional, and in my experience, not really worth it for householder developments.

Thanks for that. We applied for a certificate of lawfulness as the roof is being raised by around 4 inches. Found out today that the application is valid. Any idea how long these things take from there?

 

[mrrusty]

We applied for a certificate of lawfulness as the roof is being raised by around 4 inches

It's either PD or it's not. You didn't need to make an application if the slightly raised roof still falls within the PD parameters. Hopefully you won't open yourself up to some arbitrary planners opinion that starts a world of pain.

 

[Lucas01789]

Thanks for that. We applied for a certificate of lawfulness as the roof is being raised by around 4 inches. Found out today that the application is valid. Any idea how long these things take from there?

It all depends on the workload of the officer. I would say 6 weeks as a guestimate. It is not a difficult application to deal with, and the Council won't need to write to neighbours or consult with any third parties. The reason they take a while is that, unlike applications for full planning permission, the government don't measure how long Councils take to determine them, so they end up going to the bottom of the pile.