Why you should get the right planning advice

Building an extension can be an amazing experience and can add that much needed space to your home. However, we cannot stress how important it is that before you start your build, you gain the best planning advice possible.

In most cases, you will not need planning permission for your new conservatory. Under 2008 regulations, conservatories and sun rooms fall under what is known as permitted development. However, that doesn’t mean that you should just go ahead and build one straight away – you might live in a conservation area, or your home may be a listed building, so you should always check the situation first, either with your local authority’s planning department or with your chosen fitter who should have dedicated staff for planning issues.

Should you fail to meet planning demands, you could potentially face a long struggle against your local council to keep your extension, as they have the right to remove anything you have build that they view as unlawful and against their regulations.

This is exactly what happened to the O’Dea family in West London. After a long four year planning battle with Hillingdon Council, their extension was torn down in front of them, much to the dismay of the family, a heart-breaking story in the Uxbridge Gazette reports. Contractors let themselves onto their property, and removed the family’s furniture and personal items from the conservatory, before the building was pulled down.

Their story is a reminder to all to get your plans checked before you start building, so you too don’t have to suffer the heartbreak of having your new conservatory torn down before you.

However, if you get it right, you may end up with a heart-warming tale, much like that of Will Pope and his family. Will is a heart transplant patient, and he helped to fund a conservatory in the Harefield Hospital, the Bucks Free Press says. The fund-raising was done in the memory of Ross Tavendale, who was born with a serious congenital heart condition, and was the first baby to be fitted with a pacemaker in the UK. Sadly he died, just 22 years old, in May 2005. The conservatory has created a much needed space for patients and their families to relax and unwind while they undergo treatment.

Planning issues should never be a problem for your new conservatory. Our team is always ready and willing to help you through the entire process.