Obtaining planning permission for your new build or home renovation is a key part of the process. It ensures that you have permission from your local authority to make the changes that you plan to make and that you won’t end up on the wrong side of the building regulations and laws. For the most part, you are going to apply for planning permission at at time when you are ready for the work to be commenced, as an early part of the process. However, there is always a chance that you may come across a hurdle or have some changes in your life that mean that your plans come to a halt.
If this is the case for you, then you may want to know more about how long planning permission lasts and whether or not you are going to need to reapply for it at some point during the process.
How long does planning permission last?
In the majority of cases and situations, you can expect that planning permission will last three years. This means that once permission has been given, you have three years to start the work (not finish it). Whilst this is the case for the majority, as with many things, there are exceptions to this rule. However, if you are an exception to this rule for any reason, then your letter of approval from your local authority will make this exceptionally clear.
Where might this question apply?
As we have mentioned, if you are planning the work yourself, then there is a good chance that your project is going to start as soon as you have the permissions in place, but this is not always the case. There are people out there who buy a property, or perhaps even a plot of land, that has already had planning permission for building work approved. This means that they are buying it as a project ready to go and that they are going to want to know more about the planning permission that applies to this property. The permission period won’t renew because you are a new owner; it still applies as it stands, and the time that is left on approval is the time that you have to start work.
My building work is taking longer than I expected
There are lots of hurdles and issues that can arise during any building work, and this can delay the process or make it last a lot longer than you thought it would or planned for in the first instance. The important thing to remember is that you don’t need to finish the work that you have planned within the three-year window. So long as you have made a start and this starting step is clearly visible and obvious, then this will often be enough for your local authority. If you have found that work hasn’t started within the three-year window or it is thought that the work hasn’t shown enough of a starting point, then you can always reapply for planning permission. However, it is important to know that this will add extra time and cost to your project, and there is no guarantee that it will be approved again (although, in most circumstances, it should be).
The best thing to remember when it comes to a planning permission is to try and apply for it when you are ready to start work. That way, you can be sure that as soon as the approval comes through, you are going to be able to get to work and take those first few steps to transform your property for the future.
If you are considering a loft conversion in London or the West Midlands, call us today for your free site survey on 0800 917 7571 and enquire now.
