Upgrading conservatory, planning query

[ade73]

We have a wooden conservatory that was in a poor state of repair when we bought our house.

Now the time has come to get it sorted, its a Victorian style that we are going to block/brick the side that faces the neighbour, replace the wooden structure with UPVC and put a superlight tiled roof on with sky lights.

The conservatory extends from the back of our detatched house by 4.2 metres and is 1.25 meters from the boundary fence with our neighbour to the side.

The planning portal of our council is a bit confusing on if we need to get planning consent to do this as it is not a new build, just refurbishing what is already there that had planning permission granted years ago.

I tried ringing the planning officers and they would just repeat the same statement every time I asked for any info. "look on the website, and put in a question to get the answer at £50.

There is a snag with this as they do the "inform your neighbours" we only have one the way the cul de sac is laid out and they are a bunch of bellends who would complain about anything and everything if they got wind of it.


So fellow piston heads, any idea on this?

The 1st company we had out to quote on the work, said we wouldn't as its already there not a new build but are they just saying that to get the work.

TIA

[Equus]

ade73 said:

There is a snag with this as they do the "inform your neighbours"

1) They don't inform the neighbours for a Certificate of Lawfulness, or for a pre-application enquiry - only for a Planning Application or a larger extension that requires Prior Approval under the Neighbour Consultation Scheme.
2) So far as Planning (not building Regulations) is concerned there's no difference between a conservatory and a solid structure in terms of the rules that apply.
3) Permitted development rights are measured from the dwelling as it was originally constructed; if the existing conservatory would meet permitted development rules, then a solid replacement of the same size and height would too.
4) If the dimension are not within the scope of permitted development, then any replacement that is not visually identical constitutes demolition of an existing structure and construction of a new one... and will need Planning Permission.