Planning permission is required whenever you need to extend an already existing building or erect a new one. If you are planning to convert your garage into a room, office or any other inhabitable space, then you might be thinking of getting planning permissions. However, under the building regulations in effect from 1 October 2008, garage conversion planning permission is not required. However, this does not mean that you can go without abiding by the building regulations imposed by your local authorities.
Also, while garage permission planning permission is not required as long as you do not plan to extend the garage, you may still have to apply for planning permission in some cases:
- Your property does not have permitted development rights. This could be because your developer has placed a restriction against changing the external appearance of your house.
- You live in a listed building or area. In case your house is listed, then you may not be allowed to change the external appearance of the house.
- You live in a city where parking is at a premium. In case there is parking shortage, planning permission for a garage conversion may be refused.
- You live in a new housing development where the developers do not allow you to incorporate changes that will change the appearance of the building from outside.
- Garage conversion planning permission will be required if the construction that you plan to undertake will affect the drainage system of your locality.
- Additional insulation is needed. In many cases, your local building regulation authorities will demand that you insulate the building right from scratch while others may want reinforcement.
