Getting planning permission for a conservatory

You can find more details on the Planning Portal website.

Planning permission isn't the only thing you’ll need to consider, though. Building regulations — which cover the construction process — may also come into play.

Building regulations checklist

You may not need to seek building regulations approval if:

●      The conservatory is on the ground level and covers less than 30 square metres in total.

●      It has its own independent heating system and separate temperature controls.

●      Glazing and electrical installations comply with all applicable building regulations requirements.

However, any new structural opening in your home (for example, if you're making a new doorway to connect your living room with the conservatory) will always need building regulations approval.

Applying for approval

If you're unsure about any of these rules, Anglian can help. We've built a lot of conservatories over the years, and we know our stuff when it comes to the planning process.

If you do need to apply for planning permission or building regulations approval to build your conservatory, we'll be happy to take care of all the paperwork on your behalf. We know it's not the most exciting part of building a conservatory, so we’ll fill in the forms while you spend time designing.

However, if you decide to take care of the paperwork yourself, you can submit an application to your local authority through Planning Portal. You'll need to have all the details related to your conservatory project to hand, and there’s usually a fee to pay that may not be returned even if your application is denied.

It's a good idea to contact your local authority's planning department directly before submitting a planning application. They’ll be able to help you with the process, and may flag up any initial problems with your project so they can be dealt with early on.

Your planning permission, sorted

Planning a new conservatory is always exciting. Choosing a shape and style, picking out furniture and anticipating how you're going to use this new addition to your home is something everyone can appreciate.

One aspect that can be considerably less fun is the planning and approvals process. If your conservatory requires planning permission or building regulations approval, this can unfortunately mean filling in forms, contacting local authority departments and paying fees before any work can even begin. The good news is that Anglian will take care of all that for you. 

With more than 50 years in the home improvement industry, we know our way around a planning application. In fact, we submit more applications to the government's Planning Portal per year than any other company in the UK!  

We do this because we know our customers would rather spend time planning their new conservatory than filling in paperwork. Additionally, we know exactly what information planning departments need to make their decisions, so your conservatory won’t be held up by any unnecessary delays.

For more information on how Anglian can handle your planning permission and building regulations forms for you, take a look at our handy guide.

Let Anglian take care of it

When you let us handle the paperwork, you can rest assured it'll be done in a thorough and professional manner, and taken care of as quickly as possible. Since we do so many planning applications, we can even advise on any potential problems before they arise. For instance, if your proposed conservatory roof is likely to be too high or too close to a boundary wall, we'll let you know and suggest an alternative.

Planning permission isn't required for all conservatories – in fact, in many cases they're considered a "permitted development", which means there may not be any paperwork to worry about at all. But if there is, we're more than happy to do all the hard work for you, leaving you free to get busy choosing furnishings and décor instead.