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Creating Space Within the Home
extensions - loft conversions - garden rooms
Applications
Most schemes will require some from of Local Authority application and we have extensive experience in dealing with these. For an overview of what applications may or may not be required you can look at the interactive guidance on the planning portal website. www.planningportal.gov.uk/uploads/hhg/houseguide.html
We can provide detailed advice on all aspects of local authority application and this would be discussed at your initial consultation and then confirmed in the detailed fee quote we then send out. When dealing with loft conversions and extensions it is particularly important to make applications in the right order to benefit from your permitted development rights where available and we would advise you of the best strategy.
We can advise you about all of the following and then deal with the full application process on your behalf:
Planning
This takes approximately 8 weeks from the application being registered. You can apply twice on a single application fee if re-submitted within one year which gives you the chance to push things with the first application but have a more conservative fall-back position for the second go. We would advise you about this on a case by case basis and help you develop a plan.
Certificate of Lawfulness
This is an optional application and is used to confirm that a scheme does not require planning approval. This application can be made before or after works commence and further information is available on our Fact Sheet 2. This also takes about eight weeks to be decided and is based purely upon certain criteria relating to volume, height and siting restrictions not the design.
Building Regulations
This is a two stage application with the first part (Plans Approval) taking about 6 weeks. At this stage the inspectors will check the detailed drawings, notes and calculations submitted by us for compliance with the building regulations. It is worth noting that there is an element of interpretation in these regulations so details can change at this stage. Once you have plans approval your building work can start and the builder will then arrange for inspections to be made through to completion when a Final Certificate will be issued.