Planning permission is not normally required to turn two properties into one by knocking through a party wall provided the changes are internal and do not impact the external appearance of the property.

You should check with your local planning authority that they agree, and there are not any previous planning changes or conditions which may have an impact.

Additional permissions may be required depending on the building’s history and their location. If the building is listed, an application for listed building consent will be required before any major changes are made to the dwellings.

The work will have to comply with building regulations, the focus will be on structural work and safety.

‍Read more about how building regulations apply to internal walls.

Whether or not a static caravan can be kept on your property depends on how long it will be kept there for and what it’ll be used for. If the caravan becomes a new home on the property, will be rented out, or will stay in place for more than 28 days then permission if often needed.

If no material change of use occurs, and the caravan is only used for a purpose incidental to the enjoyment of the house then often no application for planning permission will be required. In this instance it may be classed as permitted development, as such it would have to adhere to limits and conditions set out for outbuildings.

If the property is in the curtilage of a listed building or in a conservation area you should contact your local planning authority.

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Planning permission may be required for external insulation if it impacts the external appearance of the building. If materials are of a similar appearance to those used in the construction of the house, then permission will likely not be required.

Listed buildings will require listed building consent for any significant work.

If you live in a Conservation Area or other protected area you will need to apply for planning permission before making changes to the outside of your house.

Further information and building regulations advice is available on Planning Portal. Read our external walls common project.

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Changing from a commercial use (use class E) to residential(use class C3) falls under permitted development rights, meaning an application for planning permission is not required.

To use the permitted development right you must meet the rules and regulations set out in legislation, this includes submitting an application for prior approval to the local planning authority. The full list of conditions is available on the government website, or our online application form will tell you whether you are eligible.

If you are not eligible for the permitted development right, you will have to submit an application for full planning permission.

Find out more about change of use

When you, or an agent acting on your behalf, have submitted a planning application, the local authority will firstly check the application to check if it’s complete. This validation process allows the authority to ensure everything that is required to decide an application has been received and provided correctly. They will contact you if they require any further information from you.

After the application has been validated, the determination process begins and takes up to 8 weeks for smaller applications, or up to 13 weeks for larger applications. The authority should be able to give you an idea about the likely timetable. The local authority will contact you with their decision.

Read more about the decision-making process for planning applications.

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