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• Do I need permission?

You may need planning permission for a variety of development such as new building works or changes in the use of land or buildings. However, where you do not need to apply for planning permission you may still need to apply for building regulations approval, approval to carry out works to protected trees or some other form of statutory consent which may be applicable to conservation areas or listed buildings. It is the applicant's duty to make sure that all necessary consents are in place before carrying out a development.

Permitted development
The Government sets the rules on whether a development needs planning permission. Where a development doesn't require planning permission, it is known as permitted development. Depending on their size and position, many house extensions and alterations do not need planning permission.  However, you should contact the council's development quality section to find out if something is a permitted development.

Applicants should note that although general guidance may be given with regard to the need for planning permission, a formal determination in respect of any specific proposal may only be obtained through an application for a certificate of lawful development. This is a legally binding document which may prove useful when either selling a property or attempting to obtain a mortgage or loan for an extension. 

Home alterations
The Planning Portal website has an interactive guide which may help you identify what kind of permission you need when altering your home.

We have also listed a selection of alterations to give  you an idea what type of permission is required.  This list is a guide only and we recommend that you contact planning services before starting any work. Contact details can be found at the bottom of this page.

• Bathroom installation
• Business from home
• Building a detached garage
• Car port
• Cavity wall
• Conservatory
• Converting a garage to a living room
• Dormer construction
• Gas/solid fuel/oil appliance installation
• Hard surface lawn for car space
• House extension
• House conversion to flat or bed sit
• Internal home alterations
• Loft conversion
• Porch
• Radio antennae installation
• Repairs
• Rewire
• Satellite dish
• Shed/hobby building
• Stone cladding
• Vehicle access
• Windows

 
Bathroom installation

• A planning application is not required unless it is part of a house extension.
• A building regulation application is required.

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Business from home

• Planning permission is generally required.
• A building regulations application is not usually required provided no alteration works are undertaken which will affect the property's structure or means of escape.

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Building a detached garage

• To establish if you need planning permission for the proposed development please view our planning guidance on free standing private garages and other outbuildings. 
• If the building is detached and is more than 1 metre from the boundary (or is constructed largely of non-combustible materials) and has a floor area 30 square metres or less, a building regulation application is not needed.
• Note: All dimensions for Building Regulations should be measured internally.

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Car port

• To establish if you need planning permission for the proposed development please view our planning guidance on garages and car ports.

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Cavity wall

• Planning permission is not required
• A building regulation application is not usually required, provided the work is being undertaken by an approved installer using approved material.

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Conservatory

• To establish if you need planning permission for the proposed development please view our planning guidance on conservatories.
• A building regulation application is not required where the floor area does not exceed 30 metres squared and is thermally seperated from the rest of the dwelling.

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Converting a garage to a living room

• Planning permission may be required if the property is within a conservation area.
• Planning permission may be required if the property is a listed building.
• some newer homes which have 'permitted development rights' removed may require planning permission.
• A building regulation application is generally required.

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Dormer construction

• To establish if you need planning permission for the proposed development please view our planning guidance on dormer extensions.
• A building regulation application is required. 

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Gas/solid fuel/oil appliance installation

• If installation work is inside the house, planning permission is not needed.
• Any external oil/fuel containers will require planning permission if:

1. The capacity of the container exceeds 3,500 litres.
2. The container is nearer to a highway or footpath than the nearest part of the original dwelling and is within 20 metres of the highway.
3. The container is more than 3 metres above ground level.
4. As a result of its erection, more than half the original garden (front and rear areas combined) will be covered by buildings/structures.

• Building regulation application is required to install gas heating appliances (unless work is supervised by an approved installer under the Gas Safety Regulations 1984), solid fuel heating appliances and oil heating appliances.

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Hard surface lawn for car space

• To establish if you need planning permission for the proposed development please view our planning guidance on garages and car ports.

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 House extension

• To establish if you need planning permission for the proposed development please view our planning guidance on house extensions.
• A building regulation application is required. 

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House conversion to flat or bed sit

• Planning permission is required.
• Building regulation application is required.

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 Internal home alterations

• Planning permission is not required unless it is a listed building or a new estate which has the 'permitted development rights' removed.
• Building regulation application is usually required if altering load bearing internal walls or works that effect the property's existing means of escape route. If you are in any doubt, please contact Building Control on 0151 443 2380. 

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Loft conversion

• If the conversion includes the formation of a dormer extension, planning permission is needed.
• If the conversion is to a building in a listed area, planning permission is required.
• If the conversion includes the formation of velux existing roof, planning permission is not required.
• A building regulation application is required.
• View our planning guidance for further details.

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Porch

• To establish if you need planning permission for the proposed development please view our planning guidance on porches, fences and other enclosures.
• A building regulation application is not required where the floor area does not exceed 30 metres squared and is thermally seperated from the rest of the dwelling.

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Radio antennae installation

• Planning permission is required if the radio antennae will exceed the normal height for a television aerial.

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Repairs

• Planning permission is not required, unless it is repairs to a listed building or a building in a conservation area.
• As long as the repairs do not adversely affect the safety/stability of your property, a building regulation application is not required. However, major structural repairs such as underpinning or extensive roof replacement will require a building regulation application. If you are in any doubt contact our Building Control Office on 0151 443 2380. 

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Rewire/electrical work

• Planning permission is not required.
• A building regulation application is required where the works are not registered under a Competent Person Scheme, covering areas of special locations e.g. kitchens and external garage, sheds that have electrical supply installed. 

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Satellite dish

• Planning permission is not required, unless the dish is to be located on a listed building or within a conservation area.
• Planning permission is required if the size of the antenna exceeds 45cm and exceeds the highest part of the chimney.
• Building regulation is not required.

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Shed/hobby building

• Planning permission is required if the cubic content exceeds 10 cubic metres and be within 5 metres of the house? If yes, view the planning guidance on extensions.
• Planning permission is required if the structure will be nearer to a highway or footpath than the nearest part of the original dwelling and also within 20 metres of it.
• Planning permission is required if the structure is to be higher than 4 metres with a pitched roof or 3 metres with a flat roof.
• Planning permission is required if, as a result of the structure, more than half the original garden (front and rear areas combined) is to be covered by buildings.
• If the building is detached and has a floor area of 15 square metres or less, a building regulation application is not needed.
• If the building is detached and is more than 1 metre from the boundary (or is constructed largely of non-combustible materials) and has a floor area 30 square metres or less, a building regulation application is not needed.
  Note: All dimensions for Building Regulations should be measured internally.

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Stone cladding

• Planning permission is not required provided your house is not a listed building or in a conservation area.
• A building regulation application is not usually required. However, care should be taken to prevent any damp proof courses from being bridged and to ensure the cladding is fixed securely. If you are in any doubt contact Building Control on 2380. 

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Vehicle access

• If access is required onto a classified road then planning permission is required.
• If access is to a property which is a listed building or conservation area then planning permission may be required.
• A building regulation application is not required.

A and B classified roads within the Knowsley borough:

A57 Liverpool Road, Derby Street, High Street, Warrington Road
A58 Prescot by-pass and St Helens Road
A506 Valley Rod, Hall Lane, County Road (Hall Lane to Bank Lane), Bank Lane
A526 Seth Powell Way
A561 Speke Widness Link Road, Speke Boulevard
A562 Higher Road, Speke/Widnes Link Road
A580 East Lancashire Road, Moorgate Road South, Knowsley Wood Lane
A5207 Moorgate Road
A5208 Coopers Lane, South Boundary Road, County Road (South Boundary Road to Hall Lane)
A5080 Roby Road, Tarbock Road, Cronton Road
A5300 Knowsley Expressway (M57/A562 Link Road)
B5178 Netherley Road
B5192 Whitefield Drive, Glovers Brow, Prescot Road
B5194 Knowsley Lane (from Liverpool Road to School Lane), Aintree Lane.

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Windows

• If you are replacing or adding new windows to your house, planning permission is not usually required. However:
• If the window is to go in a part of a newer property (usually open plan estates in the last 15 years) or it is in an extension which has previously been the subject of a planning permission, the 'permitted development rights' may have been removed.
• If the property is a listed building or is within a conservation area, planning permission and/or listed building consent may be required.
• A building regulation application is required when you are replacing windows that are not installed under a Competent Person Scheme (e.g. Fensa, Certass).

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