You should find out if you need planning permission before you start any building work. If you go ahead without permission, you may have to put things back to how they were.

You are likely to need planning permission if you intend to:

  • construct a new building
  • alter the external appearance of an existing building
  • extend a property
  • convert a house into flats
  • change the use of a building or land

Homeowners

You do not always need planning permission when you are making changes to your home.

You can make some changes for a 'single dwelling house' (not a flat or maisonette) without planning permission. We call this permitted development.

You need planning permission in most cases if your property:

  • is a flat or maisonette
  • is a listed building
  • is in a conservation area
  • has an Article 4 direction in place

Guidance for homeowners

Businesses

You do not always need permission to make changes to your business premises. The Planning Portal provides useful guidance on common projects:

Tables and chairs on the pavement

You need planning permission to put tables and chairs on the highway outside your premises. This involves a change to the use of that land. The term 'highway' includes the carriageway, footway, alleys and passageways.

If all the land you are using is on a private forecourt, you may not need planning permission. As long as the use of the tables and chairs is an extension of the ground floor use of the premises.

As the highway authority, you'll need to apply for a Highway Amenities Licence (Highways Act 1980).

Changes of use 

We put uses of land and buildings into categories known as 'use classes'.

A change of use of a building or land often does not need planning permission.

You do not need planning permission if:

  • both the present and proposed uses fall within the same 'class', or
  • the Town and Country Planning (Use Classes) Order allows a change of use class to another specified class

For example, you could change without permission:

  • a bakery to a shoe shop - these uses fall within the same class
  • a restaurant to a shop or an estate agency - the Use Class Order allows this type of change

Find out more about possible changes of use (Planning Portal)

To get confirmation of the lawful use of the land or premises, apply for a Lawful Development Certificate (Planning Portal).

Other common types of applications

There are many other types of applications you may need. Get detailed guidance on these and submit them on the Planning Portal website.

View the most common application types (Planning Portal)

Building control

You may need to apply for building control approval if you are:

  • making structural changes to an existing property
  • building a new property

Find out more about building control

Wildlife Assessment check

If you are considering a householder or small development project, you may need expert ecological advice before you apply.

Find out if you need expert ecological advice

Licensing

Depending on the use of your premises, you may need to apply for a licence.

Find out more about licences and permits