Planning guides
Planning permission rules, in plain English.
144 guides to what you can build, what your neighbours can build, and what you can do about it. Most recently updated 27 Oct 2026.
Someone is Building Too Close to My Boundary
What to do when construction work happens too close to your property boundary. Understand Party Wall Act rights and permitted development limits. Read the guide Updated 20 Oct 2026Start here
- Permitted Development Rights ExplainedYour project · 15 min
- How to Object to a Planning Application (2026 Guide)Objecting · 13 min
- The Planning Permission Process: A Complete GuideApplications and decisions · 13 min
- Party Wall Act Explained: Notices, Surveyor Costs and What Happens If Your Neighbour Ignores YouNear you · 20 min
Your project 38
What you can build, and when you need permission.
Permitted Development Rights Explained
What you can build without planning permission in 2026: 3m/4m rear extensions (6m/8m with prior approval), 4m height cap, 40/50m³ lofts. Every householder PD limit, checked against the GPDO.Updated 20 Oct 2026Householder Planning Permission Explained
Householder planning permission explained for homeowners and neighbours: what it covers, when it is needed, what councils assess, and how to avoid the wrong application route.Updated 23 May 2026Do I Need Planning Permission for a Conservatory? | UK Rules 2026
Usually no. Most conservatories fall under permitted development — but size matters. Single-storey: up to 4m depth without permission. Full UK guide covers size limits, building regulations, and common mistakes.Updated 20 Oct 2026Do I Need Planning Permission for a Dormer? Class B Rules in Full
Dormer permitted development in England: the 40/50 cubic metre Class B limits, the principal elevation rule, the 0.2m eaves setback and when you need permission.Updated 20 Oct 2026Do I Need Planning Permission for a Driveway?
Complete guide to planning permission for driveways in the UK. Covers permeable surfaces, dropped kerbs, front garden paving, and SUDS requirements.Updated 20 Oct 2026Do I Need Planning Permission for a Fence?
Find out when you need planning permission for a fence in the UK. Covers height limits, boundary rules, listed buildings, and conservation areas.Updated 20 Oct 2026Do I Need Planning Permission for a Heat Pump? The 2025 Rules (No 1 m Boundary Limit)
Heat pump planning rules in England since 29 May 2025: no 1 m boundary limit, 1.5 m³ units, one or two pumps, the 37 dB(A) noise test, and what if it fails.Updated 20 Oct 2026Do I Need Planning Permission for a Loft Conversion?
Clear guide to loft conversion planning permission in England, covering permitted development volume limits, dormers, rooflights, balconies, conservation areas, and building regulations.Updated 20 Oct 2026Do I Need Planning Permission for a Porch?
When do you need planning permission for a porch in the UK? Covers the 3 square metre rule, height limits, highway distances, and building regulations.Updated 20 Oct 2026Do I Need Planning Permission for a Shed?
When do you need planning permission for a garden shed in the UK? Covers size limits, height rules, placement restrictions, and what counts as an outbuilding.Updated 20 Oct 2026Do I Need Planning Permission for Air Conditioning? Air-to-Air, Cooling-Only and the 2025 Rules
Air conditioning and planning in England: air-to-air units can be permitted development, cooling-only units are outside Class G. Limits, noise test, fees.Updated 20 Oct 2026Do I Need Planning Permission for an EV Charger?
Do you need planning permission for an EV charger? England's rules for driveway wall chargers, upstands, listed buildings and conservation areas, plus the cross-pavement charging rights in force from 21 October 2026.Updated 20 Oct 2026Do I Need Planning Permission for an Extension? The Permitted Development Limits in Metres (2026)
Extension rules in England, in metres: 3 m (4 m detached) rear, 6 m / 8 m by prior approval, side, two-storey, eaves and curtilage limits, with the legal source for each.Updated 20 Oct 2026Do I Need Planning Permission for Cladding?
When do you need planning permission for external cladding in the UK? Covers render, timber cladding, stone, composite materials, and insulation.Updated 20 Oct 2026Do I Need Planning Permission for Decking?
When do you need planning permission for garden decking in the UK? Covers height limits, the 300mm rule, raised platforms, and conservation area restrictions.Updated 20 Oct 2026Do I Need Planning Permission for Solar Panels? Roof, Wall, Balcony, Plug-In and Ground-Mounted Rules (Updated for August 2026)
Solar panel planning rules in England after 27 August 2026: roof, flat roof, wall, balcony, plug-in and ground-mounted limits, listed homes and batteries.Updated 20 Oct 2026Loft Conversion Cost UK 2026 — Complete Pricing Guide By Type, Region & Size
What loft and dormer conversions actually cost across the UK in 2026: typical prices by type (rooflight, dormer, hip-to-gable, mansard), regional variation, hidden costs, and how to budget realistically.Updated 20 Oct 2026Planning Permission vs Building Regulations: Which Do You Need? (25-Project Table)
Planning permission vs building regulations in England: what each covers, plus a 25-project table (extension, loft, wall removal, solar, en-suite) with sources.Updated 20 Oct 2026What Is an Article 4 Direction? What It Removes and How to Check Your Street (2026)
An Article 4 direction removes permitted development rights, so windows, fences or extensions need a planning application. How to check your street, the fee and compensation (October 2026).Updated 20 Oct 2026Lawful Development Certificate Cost and When It Is Worth It
How lawful development certificate costs work, what an LDC proves, when homeowners should apply, and why it can protect a sale or remortgage.Updated 2 Oct 2026Carport Planning Permission & Building Regulations: UK Guide
Do you need carport planning permission or Building Regulations approval? Check England's rules for detached, attached, front and enclosed carports.Updated 10 Aug 2026Do I Need Planning Permission for a Garage? (UK Rules 2026)
Do you need planning permission for a garage? Usually no. Complete UK guide to detached garages, attached garages, conversions, size limits, and building regs.Updated 10 Aug 2026Can I Live in a Log Cabin in My Garden?
Can you legally live in a garden log cabin in England? The incidental-use test, annexes vs separate dwellings, council tax and the 2024 enforcement change.Updated 11 Jul 2026Do I Need Building Regulations for a Log Cabin?
Building regulations for log cabins in England — the 15m² and 30m² exemption thresholds, the sleeping-accommodation trigger, and Part P, H, L and A rules.Updated 11 Jul 2026Do I Need Planning Permission for a Log Cabin?
When a log cabin needs planning permission in England — the outbuilding PD rules, height and boundary limits, the 50% garden rule and incidental use.Updated 11 Jul 2026How Big Can a Log Cabin Be Without Planning Permission?
Height, boundary and footprint limits for a log cabin in England — the 2.5m boundary rule, 4m/3m roof heights, the 50% garden rule and the 30m³ myth.Updated 11 Jul 2026Is a Log Cabin a Caravan? The Mobile-Home Test
Whether a log cabin counts as a caravan in England — the statutory definition, the twin-unit 20m x 6.8m x 3.05m size test and why use still needs permission.Updated 11 Jul 2026Log Cabin Built Without Planning Permission: What Now?
Built a log cabin without permission? How England's 10-year enforcement rule works, whether it's time-immune, and how to regularise it.Updated 11 Jul 2026Do I Need Planning Permission for a Balcony?
Guide to balcony planning permission in England, including Juliet balconies, roof terraces, raised platforms, privacy, conservation areas and neighbour objections.Updated 23 May 2026Do I Need Planning Permission for a Basement?
Basement planning permission guide for conversions, new excavations, lightwells, listed homes, conservation areas and neighbour risk.Updated 23 May 2026Do I Need Planning Permission for a Dropped Kerb?
Homeowner guide to dropped kerb planning permission in England, including highway approval, classified roads, driveway surfacing, visibility, and council checks.Updated 23 May 2026Do I Need Planning Permission for a Flue or Chimney?
Planning permission guide for external flues, chimneys, soil and vent pipes, wood burners, biomass systems, listed homes and designated areas.Updated 23 May 2026Do I Need Planning Permission for a Garage Conversion?
A practical UK guide to garage conversion planning permission, retained-parking conditions, external changes, building regulations, and what neighbours should check.Updated 23 May 2026Do I Need Planning Permission for a Garden Office?
Guide to planning permission for garden offices in England, including outbuilding permitted development limits, height rules, incidental use, boundaries, and working from home.Updated 23 May 2026Do I Need Planning Permission for a Garden Wall?
Garden wall planning permission guide covering height limits, highways, listed buildings, conservation areas, demolition, safety and neighbour issues.Updated 23 May 2026Do I Need Planning Permission for a Roof Terrace?
Roof terrace planning permission guide covering overlooking, privacy, noise, railings, flat roofs, permitted development and neighbour objections.Updated 23 May 2026Do I Need Planning Permission for a Swimming Pool?
Planning permission guide for indoor pools, outdoor pools, pool halls, hot tubs and garden buildings, with permitted development checks and neighbour issues.Updated 23 May 2026Do I Need Planning Permission for New Windows?
Planning permission guide for replacement windows, new side windows, bay windows, conservation areas, listed buildings and neighbour privacy.Updated 23 May 2026Near you 15
When something is being built next door or planned on your street.
Party Wall Act Explained: Notices, Surveyor Costs and What Happens If Your Neighbour Ignores You
Do you need a party wall notice? One month or two, the 14-day rule, what silence means, when a surveyor is appointed for a neighbour who won't, who pays, and the 14-day appeal. Checked against the Act, October 2026.Updated 20 Oct 2026Commercial Development in a Residential Area
What to do about commercial development proposals in residential areas. Understanding use classes, amenity impacts, and valid objections.Updated 20 Oct 2026My Neighbour Built Something Without Planning Permission
How to report unauthorised development and understand planning enforcement. Learn about time limits and what happens in practice.Updated 20 Oct 2026My Neighbour is Building a Garden Room / Outbuilding
Does a garden room need planning permission? Usually no, if under 2.5m within 2m of a boundary. UK guide covers size limits, height rules, building regs, and what to do if your neighbour is building one near you.Updated 20 Oct 2026My Neighbour Is Building an Extension — What Are My Rights?
Discovered your neighbour is building an extension? Here's what you can do, what rights you have, and when you can (and can't) object.Updated 20 Oct 2026My Neighbour's Extension is Blocking My Light
Understanding right to light law and planning guidelines when a neighbour's extension affects natural light to your windows.Updated 20 Oct 2026New Housing Development Proposed Near Me — What Can I Do?
Learn how to respond to large housing developments near you. Understand outline permissions, environmental assessments, and community benefits.Updated 20 Oct 2026Planning Application for a Phone Mast Near My Home
Understanding phone mast planning applications, permitted development rights, and valid objection grounds. Health concerns and visual impact advice.Updated 20 Oct 2026Pub or Shop Converting to Residential Near Me
What to do when local pubs or shops apply to convert to flats. Understanding permitted development rights, Assets of Community Value, and objection rights.Updated 20 Oct 2026Someone is Building Too Close to My Boundary
What to do when construction work happens too close to your property boundary. Understand Party Wall Act rights and permitted development limits.Updated 20 Oct 2026Right to Light Surveys: The Law, the 50/50 Rule and Why Planning Ignores It
What a right to light survey measures, how the 20-year Prescription Act right is acquired, the 50/50 rule, and why loss of private light is not a planning objection.Updated 9 Sep 2026What's Being Built Near Me? View Planning Applications Free
Find out what's being built near you: search planning applications free by postcode, check submitted or approved plans, view drawings and set alerts.Updated 10 Aug 2026Neighbour Planning Application Reddit Questions: What To Check First
A practical checklist for people searching Reddit about a neighbour planning application, including deadlines, drawings, objections and what councils can consider.Updated 1 Jul 2026Neighbour Building Too Close To Boundary: Planning Checks
What to check if a neighbour is building close to your boundary, including planning permission, permitted development, party wall issues and enforcement evidence.Updated 23 May 2026Neighbour Started Building Without Planning Permission: What To Do
Practical guide for neighbours when building work starts without visible planning permission, including permitted development, evidence and enforcement reports.Updated 23 May 2026Objecting 19
How to have your say, and the points a council can weigh.
How to Object to a Planning Application (2026 Guide)
Object to a planning application UK with confidence. This 2026 guide covers valid planning objection grounds, 21-day deadlines, and neighbour planning rights.Updated 20 Oct 2026What Are Material Planning Considerations?
A comprehensive guide to material planning considerations in the UK. Learn what councils must and cannot consider when deciding planning applications.Updated 20 Oct 2026Can I Stop a Planning Application on My Street?
Honest advice about your chances of stopping planning applications. Learn what works, what doesn't, and how to influence outcomes effectively.Updated 20 Oct 2026Can You Object to Planning Permission After Approval? Your Options
Neighbour's planning approved despite objections? You cannot appeal, but judicial review (6 weeks), the Ombudsman and enforcement may help. Deadlines and costs, 2026.Updated 20 Oct 2026How Many Objections Does It Take to Stop a Planning Application?
No number of objections stops a planning application. What the law weighs, what changes on 31 October 2026, and anonymity, petitions and withdrawing a comment.Updated 20 Oct 2026How to Stop a Planning Application
Someone's applied to build something you don't want near your home. Can you stop it? Here's the honest truth about what's possible — and what isn't.Updated 20 Oct 2026Planning Committee: How It Works and When Applications Go There
Guide to planning committee meetings, officer reports, councillor call-ins, speaking deadlines, delegated decisions and how neighbours can prepare.Updated 20 Oct 2026Planning Objection Reddit Advice: What Is Actually Useful?
A practical guide for people searching Reddit for planning objection advice: what to trust, what to ignore, and how to turn comments into a valid objection.Updated 1 Jul 2026How To Write A Planning Objection Letter
How to write a clear planning objection letter, with structure, examples, evidence tips, material planning considerations and common mistakes to avoid.Updated 23 May 2026Planning Objection for Character of the Area
How to object to a planning application because it harms local character, street scene, conservation area setting, design quality or townscape.Updated 23 May 2026Planning Objection for Construction Disruption
When construction disruption can matter in a planning objection, how to raise construction management concerns, and which arguments are usually weak.Updated 23 May 2026Planning Objection for Drainage and Flooding
How to object to a planning application because of drainage, surface water, flood risk, soakaways, hardstanding or runoff concerns.Updated 23 May 2026Planning Objection for Loss of Light
How to object to a planning application because of loss of light, overshadowing or daylight impact, with practical evidence and wording tips.Updated 23 May 2026Planning Objection for Noise and Disturbance
How to object to a planning application because of noise, disturbance, hours of use, plant equipment, extraction, deliveries or late-night activity.Updated 23 May 2026Planning Objection for Overbearing Impact
How to object to a planning application because of overbearing impact, dominance, enclosure or oppressive scale near your home.Updated 23 May 2026Planning Objection for Overlooking and Privacy Loss
How to object to a planning application on overlooking and privacy grounds, with practical evidence, wording tips and common weak arguments.Updated 23 May 2026Planning Objection for Traffic and Parking
How to object to planning applications on traffic, parking and highway safety grounds, including evidence councils can actually consider.Updated 23 May 2026Planning Objection for Trees and Tree Loss
How to object to a planning application because of protected trees, tree loss, root damage, canopy impact or weak arboricultural information.Updated 23 May 2026Planning Objection Template
A practical planning objection template you can adapt, with notes on material planning considerations, evidence and wording to avoid.Updated 23 May 2026Applications and decisions 36
How an application moves, what each status means, what happens next.
How to Appeal a Planning Decision
A complete guide to appealing a planning decision in the UK. Covers who can appeal, time limits, appeal types, costs, and success rates.Updated 20 Oct 2026Planning Enforcement Explained: From the First Letter to an Enforcement Notice, What Happens and What to Do
Planning enforcement letter or notice? What each one means, the deadlines (21 days, 28 days), how to appeal, fines for ignoring one, and what shows on searches.Updated 20 Oct 2026The Planning Permission Process: A Complete Guide
A complete guide to the UK planning permission process in 2026. Covers fees, timelines, consultation, officer reports, conditions, and how to avoid delays.Updated 20 Oct 2026Understanding Planning Application Status Types
Plain-English guide to UK planning application statuses, from validation and consultation through decision, conditions, withdrawal, appeals, and enforcement risk.Updated 22 May 2026Non-Material Amendment Planning Applications Explained
What non-material amendments mean in planning, when they are used, why consultation is limited, and what neighbours should check after approval.Updated 27 Oct 2026Can I Build a House in My Garden? Planning Rules, Costs and How Neighbours Object
Building a house in your garden in England: what the August 2026 NPPF says, what officers test, fees, CIL, BNG, and grounds that work for objectors.Updated 20 Oct 2026Can Planning Permission Be Refused? Common Reasons & What to Do Next
Find out why planning permission gets refused, the most common reasons for refusal, and what you can do if your application is turned down. Includes appeal options and tips to avoid refusal.Updated 20 Oct 2026Green Belt and Grey Belt Explained: What Can Be Built, Extensions, and What It Means Nearby (NPPF 2026)
Can you build on green belt land? What 'grey belt' means, when a house extension is allowed, whether permitted development applies, and what to do if development is proposed near you. NPPF August 2026.Updated 20 Oct 2026How Long Does Planning Permission Take? UK Timelines Explained (2026)
How long does planning permission take in the UK? Householder: 8 weeks. Major: 13+ weeks. Full 2026 timeline, real-world delays, and tips to speed things up.Updated 20 Oct 2026How Much Does Planning Permission Cost? Full UK Fee Guide (2026)
Complete planning permission cost guide for 2026. The householder fee in England is £548 from 1 April 2026, plus drawings, surveys, CIL and Section 106. Full breakdown with examples.Updated 20 Oct 2026Outline vs Full Planning Permission vs Permission in Principle: Which Do You Need?
Outline vs full vs permission in principle in England: what each decides, 2026 fees, time limits, reserved matters, CIL and biodiversity net gain.Updated 20 Oct 2026Planning Application Expiry Date: How Long Does Planning Permission Last, What Counts as Starting Work, and Does It Transfer to a New Owner?
Planning permission in England lasts 3 years unless the decision notice says otherwise. What counts as starting work, outline expiry, renewal, and new owners.Updated 20 Oct 2026Planning Application Refused: Appeal or Resubmit? What Happens Next
Planning refused? Appeal or resubmit: deadlines, fees (no free go since 2023), no new evidence at appeal from April 2026, householder appeal times and success rates.Updated 20 Oct 2026Retrospective Planning Permission: Applying After Building Without Consent
Complete guide to retrospective planning permission in the UK. What happens if you build without planning permission, how to apply retrospectively, enforcement risks, and the enforcement time limits.Updated 20 Oct 2026Section 106 Agreements Explained: Developer Contributions & Planning Obligations
What is a Section 106 agreement? Complete guide to planning obligations, developer contributions for affordable housing, infrastructure, and how S106 affects planning applications in England.Updated 20 Oct 2026The 4-Year Rule Has Changed: Planning Enforcement Time Limits in England (the 10-Year Rule Explained)
Is the 4-year planning rule still in place? In England it is 10 years for work finished or homes created from 25 April 2024. Dates, examples and the exceptions.Updated 20 Oct 2026UK Local Plans Explained — How Your Council Decides What Gets Built
A homeowner's guide to Local Plans: what they are, how they decide future development, the review stages, and how to engage with the process in 2026.Updated 20 Oct 2026The Planning Postcode Lottery 2026: Where You Live Decides Your Odds and Your Wait
Original PlanWatch data: refusal odds vary 17-fold between councils, only 43.8% of decisions land within 8 weeks, and new homes are refused 3.2x as often as extensions.Updated 2 Oct 2026Discharge of Planning Conditions Explained
A practical guide to discharge of planning conditions: pre-commencement details, what councils approve, what neighbours should check, and why conditions matter after approval.Updated 23 May 2026How To Check Planning Conditions
How to find planning conditions on a council portal, understand the decision notice, and check whether important conditions have been discharged or varied.Updated 23 May 2026How To Find Approved Planning Drawings
How to find approved planning drawings on a council portal, avoid old superseded plans, and check what was actually approved.Updated 23 May 2026Planning Application Amended Plans: Do Neighbours Get Reconsulted?
Guide to amended plans during a planning application, when councils reconsult, what neighbours should check, and how to update an objection.Updated 23 May 2026Planning Application Approved With Conditions: What It Means
What approved with conditions means on a planning application, which conditions matter most, and what neighbours and buyers should check before assuming the work can start.Updated 23 May 2026Planning Application Awaiting Decision Meaning
What awaiting decision means on a planning application, how it differs from validated or pending, and what neighbours should check before the council decides.Updated 23 May 2026Planning Application Consultation Period: How Long Do You Have?
Guide to planning consultation periods, neighbour letters, site notices, late comments, amended plans and how to respond before the deadline.Updated 23 May 2026Planning Application Decision Notice Explained
How to read a planning decision notice, including approved plans, conditions, reasons for refusal, informative notes and what neighbours should monitor.Updated 23 May 2026Planning Application Pending Consideration: What It Means
What pending consideration means on a council planning portal, what happens during assessment, and what neighbours should do before the decision.Updated 23 May 2026Planning Application Validated Meaning: What Happens Next?
What validated means on a planning application, why validation matters, what neighbours should do, and how it differs from received or invalid status.Updated 23 May 2026Planning Application Withdrawn Meaning: What It Means For Neighbours
What withdrawn means on a planning application, why applicants withdraw, whether the proposal can come back, and what neighbours should keep checking.Updated 23 May 2026Prior Approval and Planning Permission: What Is the Difference?
Prior approval explained for homeowners and neighbours: how it differs from full planning permission, what councils can assess, and when to act.Updated 23 May 2026Prior Approval Not Required Meaning
What prior approval not required means on a planning application, whether work can start, and what neighbours should check before assuming there is nothing more to do.Updated 23 May 2026Prior Approval Required Meaning in Planning
What prior approval required means, how it differs from full planning permission, and what neighbours should check when a prior approval application appears.Updated 23 May 2026Reserved Matters Planning: What It Means After Outline Permission
Reserved matters planning explained for neighbours and buyers: access, appearance, landscaping, layout and scale after outline permission, and what to check before commenting.Updated 23 May 2026Section 73 Planning Applications: Varying or Removing Conditions
A practical guide to Section 73 planning applications, condition variations, limits on changing permission, neighbour objections and what to check before work changes on site.Updated 23 May 2026Variation of Condition Planning Applications Explained
What variation of condition means in planning, how it differs from discharge of conditions and non-material amendments, and what neighbours should check.Updated 23 May 2026What Happens After Planning Permission Is Approved?
What applicants and neighbours should check after approval: decision notices, conditions, building regulations, amendments, commencement and enforcement.Updated 23 May 2026Protected places 4
Conservation areas, listed buildings, trees and protected landscapes.
Conservation Areas and Planning: What You Can Do Without Permission (2026)
Project by project, what you can do in an English conservation area without planning permission: windows, solar, extensions, painting, demolition and trees. Law checked October 2026.Updated 20 Oct 2026Planning Permission for Listed Buildings: Consent, Rules & What You Can Change
Complete guide to listed building consent in the UK. What you can and can't do to a Grade I, II* or II listed building, how to apply, and penalties for unauthorised works.Updated 20 Oct 2026Planning Permission for Trees: TPOs, Conservation Areas & Felling Rules (2026)
Complete guide to planning permission for trees in the UK. Learn about Tree Preservation Orders (TPOs), conservation area rules, when you can and can't cut down trees, and how to apply for tree works.Updated 20 Oct 2026Log Cabins in Conservation Areas, AONBs & National Parks
Planning rules for log cabins on designated land in England — conservation areas, National Parks, AONBs, listed building curtilage and Article 4 directions.Updated 11 Jul 2026Change of use 9
Flats, HMOs, holiday lets, caravans and businesses.
Planning Permission for Change of Use
Complete guide to change of use planning permission in the UK. Covers use classes, permitted changes, material changes, and the 2020 Use Classes Order.Updated 20 Oct 2026Article 4 HMO Directions 2026: Every English Council That Restricts Small HMOs
A searchable, source-linked table of the 116 English councils where turning a house (C3) into a small HMO (C4) needs planning permission, plus 10 directions coming in and 9 proposals.Updated 20 Oct 2026Do I Need Planning Permission for Airbnb or Short-Term Letting?
Planning permission guide for Airbnb and short-term lets, including material change of use, whole-home letting, HMOs, flats, noise and local restrictions.Updated 20 Oct 2026Do I Need Planning Permission for an Annexe? Living In, Renting Out and Council Tax
Can a parent live in your annexe or garden room, can you rent it out, and what about council tax? The planning tests, with sources. England, October 2026.Updated 20 Oct 2026Log Cabin on Agricultural Land or a Paddock
A log cabin on a field, paddock or agricultural land in England: why householder rights don't apply off-curtilage and full permission is usually needed.Updated 20 Oct 2026Planning Permission for Flats & HMOs: Conversion Rules, Licensing & Article 4
Complete guide to planning permission for converting houses to flats and HMOs in the UK. Learn about Use Classes C3 and C4, Article 4 directions, HMO licensing, and what permissions you need.Updated 20 Oct 2026Planning Permission for Mobile Homes & Static Caravans: Complete UK Guide
Do you need planning permission for a mobile home or static caravan? Learn about caravan site licences, personal use in gardens, mobile home parks, and the legal definition that matters.Updated 20 Oct 2026Sui Generis Use Explained — The Planning Class That Doesn't Fit Any Class
What sui generis means in UK planning, the full list of sui generis uses, why classification matters, and how it affects change of use applications in 2026.Updated 20 Oct 2026Log Cabin Planning Permission for Airbnb & Holiday Lets
Letting a log cabin as an Airbnb or holiday let in England — material change of use, London's 90-night rule, business rates and the short-term-let register.Updated 11 Jul 2026Buying a home 10
What to check before you buy near a planning application.
How Planning Decisions Affect Property Value
How nearby planning applications can affect property value, saleability, buyer confidence, mortgage risk, and what homeowners should check before reacting.Updated 22 May 2026Buying a House Near a Planning Application: What Searches Miss and When You Can Pull Out
Buying near a planning application? The local search does not list neighbours' applications, the TA6 asks only what the seller knows, and you can leave freely only before exchange.Updated 20 Oct 2026Buying a House With No Planning Permission for the Extension: What to Check and What to Do
Buying a house with an extension, loft or annexe that has no planning permission? Three questions decide your risk. England, October 2026, with sources.Updated 20 Oct 2026Do I Need My Freeholder's Permission? Licence to Alter vs Planning Permission for Leasehold Flats and Houses
Planning permission does not replace your lease. When you need a licence to alter, when a freeholder can refuse, what they can charge, and what to do if a seller never got consent. Checked against the 1927 Act and the 2002 Act, October 2026.Updated 20 Oct 2026Does Planning Permission Override a Restrictive Covenant? No: Here's What to Do Instead
Planning permission does not override a restrictive covenant in your deeds. How to find your covenants, who can enforce them, and your four options: consent, indemnity insurance, an Upper Tribunal section 84 application, or a court declaration.Updated 20 Oct 2026No Building Regulations Completion Certificate? What It Means, Regularisation and the New 10-Year Limit
Missing a building regulations completion certificate? Councils can now act for 10 years, not 12 months. Regularisation, FENSA, indemnity and selling, explained.Updated 20 Oct 2026Planning and Building Regulations Indemnity Insurance: What It Covers, What Voids It, and Who Pays
What planning and building regulations indemnity insurance covers, what voids it, who pays and what lenders require, read from a real policy wording. England, October 2026.Updated 20 Oct 2026Selling a House With No Planning Permission or Building Regs Sign-Off: What Your Buyer's Solicitor Will Ask and How to Fix It
Can you sell a house with an extension or loft that has no planning permission or building regs sign-off? Yes. The TA6 questions, 4 vs 10 years and four fixes.Updated 20 Oct 2026Planning History: How to Check a Property's Records
Check the planning history of a UK property by address or postcode. Find decisions, drawings, conditions and missing records, then verify them with the council.Updated 10 Aug 2026Buying A House Near Planning Permission: Reddit Checks To Verify
A buyer-focused guide for people searching Reddit about planning permission near a house: what to verify before exchange and what nearby applications can mean.Updated 1 Jul 2026Case files 8
Dramatised planning stories, told start to finish, and what each one teaches.
The 24-Hour Gym Nobody Got to Comment On
A source-backed Planning Nightmare File about a 24-hour gym application, missed consultation letters, and why the objection window matters before noise becomes real.Updated 6 Jun 2026The Balcony Was Not What the Neighbour Expected
A source-backed Planning Nightmare File about balconies, overlooking, approved drawings, enforcement, and privacy screening after the decision.Updated 6 Jun 2026The Extension That Became Too Much to Ignore
A Planning Nightmare File based on an Ombudsman case where a council failed to properly consider the impact of a neighbouring extension on outlook and living conditions.Updated 6 Jun 2026The Letters Were Prepared. They Were Not Sent.
A Planning Nightmare File based on an SPSO Dundee case where neighbour notification letters were prepared but not sent, leaving a resident to find out after work started.Updated 6 Jun 2026The Loophole Story: When Planning Permission Is Not the Whole Game
A Planning Nightmare File about permitted development, loft changes, and the uncomfortable truth that some neighbour-impacting work may not go through ordinary planning permission.Updated 6 Jun 2026The Solar Panels Went Into Shadow
A Planning Nightmare File about solar panels, neighbour loft work, objections that do not always win, and why early evidence matters.Updated 6 Jun 2026The Window Condition That Did Not Hold
A source-backed Planning Nightmare File about an obscure-glazing and non-opening window condition, privacy concerns, and why monitoring should continue after approval.Updated 6 Jun 2026They Only Found Out When Construction Started
A dramatized, source-backed planning nightmare about a missed neighbour notification, a closed objection window, and the simple habit that could have changed the timing.Updated 6 Jun 2026For trades 5
Finding work in the planning register: leads, letters, timing and the rules.
How to Find Demolition Work in Planning Applications: 2026 Data, Rules and Timing
3,245 UK planning applications a month name demolition. Where they are, how fast they get decided, the Part 11 rules, and how to win the job first.Updated 20 Oct 2026How to Find Scaffolding Work in Planning Applications, Months Before the Builder Books Scaffold
12,664 planning applications a month create scaffold work. How to find scaffolding jobs on the register, which need scaffold, and how to get there first.Updated 20 Oct 2026How to Get Roofing Leads from Planning Applications: 2026 Data on Dormers, Re-roofs and Extension Roofs
How to get roofing leads nobody else is sharing: 14,116 planning applications a month imply roof work. Where they are, when the roof goes on, the letter.Updated 20 Oct 2026Is It Legal to Write to Homeowners About Planning Applications? Yes, If Your Letter Does These 6 Things
Yes, by post, if you do it right. The 6 things a UK planning-lead letter must do under UK GDPR, a notice to copy, and why calls and emails differ.Updated 20 Oct 2026UK Planning Application Statistics 2026: 48,873 a Month, by Council, Trade and Season
How many planning applications are there in the UK? 48,873 a month across 377 councils. Original 2026 data by council, trade and month. Free to quote.Updated 20 Oct 2026
Case files
When planning goes wrong, start to finish.
8 dramatised stories, most based on real Ombudsman decisions, told start to finish with what each one teaches a neighbour.
Case file 01
The 24-Hour Gym Nobody Got to Comment On
A source-backed Planning Nightmare File about a 24-hour gym application, missed consultation letters, and why the objection window matters before noise becomes real. 3 min · 6 Jun 2026 Case file 02The Balcony Was Not What the Neighbour Expected
A source-backed Planning Nightmare File about balconies, overlooking, approved drawings, enforcement, and privacy screening after the decision. 3 min · 6 Jun 2026 Case file 03The Extension That Became Too Much to Ignore
A Planning Nightmare File based on an Ombudsman case where a council failed to properly consider the impact of a neighbouring extension on outlook and living conditions. 3 min · 6 Jun 2026 Case file 04The Letters Were Prepared. They Were Not Sent.
A Planning Nightmare File based on an SPSO Dundee case where neighbour notification letters were prepared but not sent, leaving a resident to find out after work started. 3 min · 6 Jun 2026 Case file 05The Loophole Story: When Planning Permission Is Not the Whole Game
A Planning Nightmare File about permitted development, loft changes, and the uncomfortable truth that some neighbour-impacting work may not go through ordinary planning permission. 3 min · 6 Jun 2026 Case file 06The Solar Panels Went Into Shadow
A Planning Nightmare File about solar panels, neighbour loft work, objections that do not always win, and why early evidence matters. 3 min · 6 Jun 2026 Case file 07The Window Condition That Did Not Hold
A source-backed Planning Nightmare File about an obscure-glazing and non-opening window condition, privacy concerns, and why monitoring should continue after approval. 3 min · 6 Jun 2026 Case file 08They Only Found Out When Construction Started
A dramatized, source-backed planning nightmare about a missed neighbour notification, a closed objection window, and the simple habit that could have changed the timing. 9 min · 6 Jun 2026
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