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Is planning permission or building regulations approval required to change to an electric garage door?
Changing a standard garage door to an electric garage door will not normally require planning permission. Instead, they are covered by permitted development rights.
Permission may be required if your property is listed, you live in a conservation area or there will be a visual impact on the appearance of the house as viewed from the street. If you are unsure, it is advised that you contact your local planning authority.
Work to install an electric garage door must comply with Part P of the building regulations. This can be done by using an electrician who is registered with the competent person scheme.
Visit the website for registered electrical competent persons.
Common Questions
Yes, under permitted development, a new dormer must not be higher than the existing highest part of the roof. It should also have materials that are in similar appearance to the existing roof. Additional limits apply in conservation areas and on listed buildings. Read about planning permission for loft conversions on Planning Portal
Work to refit a bathroom with new units and fittings does not generally require building regulations approval, although drainage or electrical works that form part of the refit may require approval under the building regulations.
If a bathroom is to be provided in a room where there wasn't one before, building regulations approval is likely to be required to ensure that the room will have adequate ventilation and drainage, and meet requirements with respect to structural stability, electrical and fire safety.
If you carry out development without the necessary planning permission, and it doesn’t fall within permitted development rights, you may be in breach of the planning rules. In such cases, you will usually need to submit a retrospective planning application to seek approval for the work already completed or started. However, there is no guarantee that permission will be granted.
Learn more about planning breaches on Planning Portal
Planning permission is not required for internal changes such as changing a bathroom to an accessible wetroom, however, if you live in a listed building, you will have to apply for listed building consent for any significant works, whether internal or external.
Building regulations approval will likely be required for changes to a make a bathroom accessible, specifically when the change will impact the structure of the room, drainage and electrical systems. It is recommended to have work completed by a member of the competent person scheme.
If you want formal confirmation that the existing use of a building is lawful for planning purposes, or that your proposed development does not require planning permission, you can apply for a Lawful Development Certificate(LDC). An LDC can be useful in situations where you need assurance that a particular use, operation, or development is lawful under planning legislation.
Read more about Lawful Development Certificates.
Applications for a Lawful Development Certificate can be submitted online to your local council using Planning Portal. You must include enough detail and evidence to support your case; if the information is insufficient, your application may be refused.
