Do I need planning permission?

Anyone who wishes to carry out work on buildings or land may be required to, firstly, obtain planning permission.

Planning permission is necessary for a wide range of development, for example, the construction of new premises or the extension of existing ones, for most changes of use of premises even where no building work is involved and even relatively minor alterations that may affect the appearance or use of buildings.

Proposals concerning listed buildings or within Conservation Areas may also require consent, see the Conservation Area section below.
Obtaining planning permission approval is a separate matter from Building Regulations approval, see Building Regulations section below.
It is essential that Planning Permission is considered at the very start of the process as without it you will not be able to progress the project further.