Over one in 10 homeowners fail to secure planning permission for major renovations

More than one in 10 homeowners who undertook a major renovation project either failed to obtain the proper planning permission or didn’t realise they had to do so, according to new research.

Related topics:  Property,  Renovation,  Planning Permissions
Property | Reporter
23rd January 2025
Planning and design 724

A quarter of homeowners have carried out a major renovation

The survey of over 5,600 UK homeowners, commissioned by eXp UK, found that 25% of all respondents have undertaken a major renovation project, such as adding an extension to their home.

However, a good proportion of these homeowners could be at risk of receiving an enforcement notice, having failed to properly obtain the proper planning permission before cracking on with their renovation project.

More than one in 10 did so without approval

In fact, 12% stated that they had either not obtained planning permission prior to their renovation project (6%), or they didn’t realise they had to do so (6%).

Of those who failed to secure planning permission, 21% stated that they did so knowingly, with the main reason for doing so being that they were confident they wouldn’t be found out.

When do you need planning permission?

In the UK, you must obtain permission for any project that meets the definition of ‘development’. Whilst this largely focuses on the construction of a new building or extension, it can also include the conversion of a house into a flat, for example, or the division of an existing structure into two or more separate dwellings.

What factors to consider?

The most common factors that can influence the need for planning permission include the size and height of a building, the land usage required, the style of the improvements in question and even where you choose to place your windows.

What are the consequences?

If you fail to obtain planning permission you could be served an enforcement notice. Whilst you’re within your rights to appeal, if you lose and fail to comply you could be prosecuted.

There is a chance that you could be issued an enforcement warning instead, which means the local planning authority thinks that the work you’ve carried out could be acceptable, giving you the option to submit a retrospective planning application.

Alternatively, you could obtain a lawful development certificate if your illegal structure or works have gone unchallenged with continuous use for ten years (or four years for breaches that occurred before 25th April 2024). This essentially allows you to keep any renovations as are, even if they would have failed to obtain planning permission via the official routes.

“Homeownership doesn’t come cheap and we’ve seen house prices continue to climb in recent years," says Head of eXp UK, Adam Day, "So it’s understandable that a good proportion of homeowners have undertaken major renovation projects on their existing homes, such as extensions or conversions, in order to maximise space.

"What’s quite astounding is that a notable number of those undertaking a major renovation are doing so without ensuring the proper planning permission is in place," he adds.

"In doing so, they leave themselves open to enforcement and prosecution from the local planning authority if they aren’t able to secure a retrospective planning application. This can be a very costly mistake indeed, as having invested a considerable amount of money, they will find themselves back to square one and out of pocket,” he concludes.

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