The addition of a new external doorway will often fall under permitted development rights, meaning an application for planning permission is not required. This applies where the new doors are of similar appearance to those used elsewhere on the original building.

Permission may be required if your property is listed, you live in a conservation area oran Article 4 direction is in place. In these circumstances it is best to contact your local planning authority for more advice.

New external doorways which create a new or widened opening must comply with building regulations. A new structural opening will require a building regulations application.

The installation of a new door can be completed by a 'competent person' to ensure building regulation requirements are met. For more information on the competent person scheme and to find a registered person, visit the GOV.uk website.

Certain types of development are granted planning permission by national legislation without the need to submit a planning application. This is known as 'permitted development'. In order to be eligible for these permitted development rights, each 'class' specified in the legislation has associated limitations and conditions that proposals must comply with.

One such condition on certain classes of permitted development is the need to submit an application to the local planning authority for its 'prior approval; or to determine if it’s 'prior approval' will be required.

This allows the local planning authority to consider the proposals, their likely impacts in regard to certain specific factors (e.g. transport and highways) and how these may be mitigated.

For more information on prior approval, read guidance on prior approval consent types.

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Land and buildings are categorised by their type and purpose through a system known as ‘use classes’. A 'Change of use' can be within the same Use Class or from one Use Class to another.

You can find a full list of use classes and change of use scenarios related to planning on the Planning Portal website.

Read more about use classes

In many circumstances, rules known as ‘permitted development’ rights allow you to extend a house without needing to apply for planning permission, providing specific limitations and conditions are met. If you want to exceed these limits and conditions, then it is likely that an application for householder planning permission will be required.

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You can find information about the limits and conditions, prior approval and the building regulations on the Planning Portal by using the links below.  

Read about planning permission for extensions

Read about prior approval for larger single storey extensions

Find out about building regulations for an extension

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Rendering or cladding the exterior walls of your house may fall under permitted development rights, meaning an application for planning permission is not required provided you meet certain limits and requirements set out in legislation.

If you live in a listed building, you will need listed building consent for any significant works whether internal or external.

If you live in a Conservation Area, a National Park, an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty or the Broads, you will need to apply for planning permission before cladding the outside of your house with stone, artificial stone, pebble dash, render, timber, plastic or tiles.

Outside these areas, cladding may be carried out without having to first apply for planning permission provided the materials are of a similar appearance to those used in the construction of the house.

If the new materials will not have a similar appearance to those previously used you will be required to submit an application for planning permission.

Read more about change to external walls on our common project.

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Replacing existing render

Replacing existing render on the outside of your house with render of a similar appearance will not require planning permission as it is considered permitted development.

If you are changing the external appearance of the house or in a protected area such as a conservation area, then planning permission will be required. The external appearance of the house is likely to be changed when you are changing the type or colour of the render.

If the building is listed, then you will need listed building consent.

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