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How can I contact my council's planning department?
A council’s planning department, known as the local planning authority (LPA), is the local government body responsible for managing and overseeing the planning system in a specific area.
You can use the search tool on Planning Portal to find the contact details for any local planning authority in England and Wales.
Common Questions
Planning permission is unlikely to be required for the installation of external damp proofing unless the work will change the external appearance of the building or is part of a larger project.
If you live in a listed building you will need listed building consent for any significant changes, this can include external damp proofing. Additional rules may also apply if you live in a Conservation Area or other protected area.
Building regulations approval is not required for installing an external damp proof course (DPC).
In most cases neither planning permission nor building control approval are required for replacing grass with artificial grass. If you live in a protected areas such as a conservation area, or listed building, it is best practice to contact your local planning authority to check whether any consents are required.
Find your local planning authority.
Bricking up or infilling an existing window is classified as permitted development, meaning an application for planning permission is not required to complete the works. You will need to ensure that any materials used are of a similar appearance to the existing exterior of the house.
If you live in a listed building, then you will require planning permission and listed building consent for the change. In this instance it is best practice to talk to your local planning authority first.
Planning permission is not required if the home will be used as a short-term let for 90 days or less throughout the year.
If you plan on using the home as a short-term let for more than this time period, then you will need to apply for planning permission for a change of use.
If you rent a room in your property while you still live there, you will not require planning permission.
An improvement notice is a notice served by a local authority requiring a property owner to carry out specified works to bring a building into compliance with the legal standards. These are most commonly served to landlords to make a building safe.
The notice will specify what works should be completed and when it should begin and be completed by.
Failure to comply with an improvement notice is a criminal offence.
