Planning Permission in East Sussex

Planning Permission in East Sussex

Planning permission is a system where local authorities can agree to building works by granting permission for the planned work. Garage conversions will usually not need planning permission, as long as the work is internal and you don't intend to enlarge the structure of your house. Garage conversions are often covered under permitted development rights, which cover a variety of home improvement work. However, these rights have been removed in certain locations by councils, especially in new builds, so it is always worth verifying with your local authority. If you are planning to undertake a garage conversion on a listed building or are in a conservation area, you will need planning permission. Furthermore, if the walls of your garage are shared walls with a neighbour, you will need a Party Wall Agreement. You are required to conform to all building regulations relevant to your garage conversion whether or not you need planning permission. These building regulations cover parts of the conversion such as insulation, escape routes, fire proofing and ventilation, so it is often a good idea to utilise an architect to draft plans also to approve designs in order to ensure compliance with these regulations. You will likely still need to submit plans detailing the change of use of the garage to your local authority. If planning permission is taken into account from the start of the project, it is much less likely that there will be any trouble further down the road. The vast majority of planning permission applications in England are approved.