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Should there be a fire wall in the loft between neighbouring houses?
Firewalls provide protection against fires spread which may occur to neighbouring properties. Building regulations ensure that modern homes are fitted with firewalls as well as other fire safety measures such as adequate fire escapes and alarm systems.
Older homes may not have a firewall installed in the loft, especially in homes with shared loft spaces. There is no requirement to retrospectively install a firewall, but it should be considered to improve the safety of your home and those living in it.
As an adjoining loft firewall is a party wall, you will need to talk to your neighbour to discuss the work.
Common Questions
Normally planning permission is not required for installing a toilet in an existing area of the property as the change is only internal. If the toilet is part of a wider project such as an extension permission may be required.
If you live in a listed building, then listed building consent will be required for any major changes.
Building regulations will apply to the installation of a toilet in a property, these will cover areas such as ventilation, plumbing and drainage, and size.
You can put one flagpole up to 4.6 metres high in your garden without needing to apply for planning permission. If it is higher than this or you live in a protected area such as a Conservation Area or listed building then consent will be required.
Certain flags can be flown without needing consent, such as national flags.
Read government guidance on flying flags for more information.
Raising your garden level a small amount is likely to not require planning permission as it is likely to have minimal impact on the chances of flooding or overlooking your neighbours.
Increases of over 30cm may require planning permission as a significant change can impact drainage or your neighbours. If the changes are close to a boundary, you should consider whether it will overlook your neighbours or be intrusive.
You should contact your local planning authority to understand whether your proposed changes will require planning permission.
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.
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.
Once you submit your application it will be considered by the local planning authority. The Planning Portal does not have access to the application once it is submitted.
You will need to contact your local planning authority to check on the progress of any submitted application. Many authorities now let you track the progress of applications on their own council websites.
Your local authority’s contact details and website address can be found by using our local authority search.
