enquiries@edward-harte.co.uk
01273 662 750

News and Opinion from Edward Harte Solicitors

Building Regulations – Are you confused?

Building regulations rules (and planning) can be very confusing, and it is often hard to know when building regulations consent is required. Also some of the commonly held views are sometimes wrong, and this can be further complicated if you live in a conservation area or your building is listed.

An example of this is the humble conservatory. Many houses and flats have them and they can be an inexpensive way of adding more space to a property. The generally held belief is that they don’t need either planning nor building regulations approval, but this is not always right. So where do you go to find out? Well, fortunately, help is available from a variety of online sources.

The LABC produces some helpful videos. For conservatories:

Another useful tool is the interactive house on the Planning Portal which you can use to explore what kinds of consents or approvals are needed. The rules can differ for houses and flats and can depend on the details of the proposed conservatory and its size.

If, you are still unsure, you can usually speak to your local planning/building regulations officers, although access to them may be limited to calling at certain times of the day. If the work is extensive or complicated it may be best to hire a professional consultant to advise you.