Check before you change!

Photo of a Rochdale house

"Check before you change!" That’s the message from Rochdale Borough Council ahead of new government planning regulations that come into force in October.

The government has announced changes to what householders can do to their property without needing planning permission. This is called ‘permitted development’ and the changes, which come in to effect on 1 October 2008, primarily affect house extensions and the hard-surfacing of gardens.

Councillor Wera Hobhouse, cabinet member for environment and sustainability, said: "If you’re planning on making changes to your home or garden, it’s vitally important that you seek advice. Even if you have had advice from the council before, these changes mean that the advice might well have changed, so please check before changing anything to make sure that you are acting within the law."

What are the changes?

• The changes relate solely to development within the curtilage of a dwelling house.
• The previous "permitted development" volume limitations have been deleted other than for dormer extensions where volume limits remain. 
• New limitations are introduced on the maximum projection of single storey rear extensions (4m for detached, 3m for other house types) and for two storey rear extensions (3m and must not be within 7m of rear boundary).
• There are new limitations on side extensions (including that it be no more than 4m high or more than one storey).
• New limitation on eaves height of 3 metres within 2 metres of any boundary.
  Specifically excluded from "permitted development" are the construction of a verandas, balconies or raised platforms.
• In order to be "permitted development", materials used (other than for a conservatory and outbuildings) on an extension should be of similar appearance to those used on the existing house.
• Any upper floor window on an extension forming a side elevation (including windows on a roof slope forming a side elevation) shall be obscure glazed with opening lights at least 1.7m above the internal floor level of the room served.
• New restrictions on domestic outbuildings include being limited to one storey and there is a new height limitation of 2.5m high within 2m of the boundary.
• New restriction on the amount of non-permeable hard surfacing within a front garden that can be carried out as "permitted development" to 5 square metres. Any hard surface ar ea over 5 sq.m must be made of porous materials, or provision be made for water to run off to a permeable or porous area within the house curtilage, in order to qualify as "permitted development".
• There is a new restriction on chimneys, flues, soil or vent pipes, stating the height shall not be more than 1m above the highest part of the roof.
• Greater restrictions on permitted development within Conservation Areas and within the cartilage of listed buildings.

If you need advice, you can call the council on 0845 121 2973.