An increasing number of home-owners are adding precious extra space and equipping their homes for modern day living by converting the Victorian legacy of L-shaped side returns into dramatic glass extensions, conservatory rooms or open-plan kitchen and dining areas connected to the garden.
Building a side extension to incorporate this additional space is a popular solution. You will get more internal space without encroaching on valuable garden space. Grander solutions include extending the property across the entire rear width of the house and into the garden, or creating a double-storey extension with a new bedroom above.
Even more attractive, an extension can make financial sense. According to the Halifax a substantial extension can add more to a home’s value than any other home improvement.
If you are thinking of extending or making additions to your home you should pay heed to regulations regarding permitted development rights for home-owners which came into effect on 1 October 2008.
These regulations are based on the 'original house', i.e. the house as first built or as it stood before 1 July 1948, if it is an older property, and allow a larger amount of householder development to take place without the need to apply for planning permission.
Under the regulations, home-owners are now able to extend their property to the rear or side(s) subject to certain conditions which include:
• no more than half the area of land around the 'original house' would be covered by additions
• no extension to be higher than the highest part of the roof
• A single-storey rear extension must not extend beyond the rear wall of the 'original house' by more than three metres if a terraced house or by four metres if a detached house
• maximum height of a single-storey rear extension is four metres
• maximum depth of a rear extension of more than one storey of three metres beyond the rear wall of the 'original house' including the ground floor
• side extensions to be single storey with a maximum height of four metres and no wider than half that of the original house
• two-storey extensions no closer than seven metres to the rear boundary
• no verandas, balconies or raised platforms
• materials to be similar in appearance to the existing house
These permitted development allowances apply only to houses, not flats or maisonettes.
There’s a further sting in the tail. Permitted development rights are restricted on listed buildings and on properties on 'designated land', such as conservation areas, areas of outstanding natural beauty and national parks.
In all cases it’s worth checking for any possible restrictions on your proposed development. Contact your local authority or view the planning portal on extensions at http://www.planningportal.gov.uk for more information. Of course, even if you do extend your house under permitted development rights you will still need to obtain a completion certificate to show you have complied with building regulations.