Building Regs and planning confusion

[Cosmo&]

I'm planning to have a PD single storey rear extension built, which will be 6m deep. So I need to go through the neighbour consultation process. What detail/accuracy is required for the planning approvals plans and do they need to include internal floorplans or just external dimensions? Do I need to go into detail that i'm planning to have a bathroom in that space or can I keep quiet about that (don't want to spook the neighbours). Do these plans need to be done by a professional, or can I just draw some myself.


As for Building Regs, do I need another set of very detailed plans with structural details etc? I've read that I can either have full plans approved or just provide a building notice but both these options mean I have to use the LA building control service. If I want to use a private inspector, do I need to do anything upfront or just start building and get it checked by the idnependent inspector at the various stages?

Many thanks!

 

[tomfe]

Have a look at what others have submitted on your local planning website.
You can do them yourself, they don't need to be very detailed just to scale. Elevations, plans a block plan and an area plan.
Independent BC can do full plan or notice same as labc.
Independent will need something to quote of, so drawing and a rough spec or full drawings, they tend to be more expensive but let you get away with stuff.

 

[tony1851]

You don't even need elevations, and it doesn't need to be to scale - here is a recent example.
Just a free-hand sketch will do.

 

[Nakajo]

It looks like a minus sign. Surely they didnt give planning based on that

 

[tony1851]

Sorry

 

[tomfe]

Yeah my la would not accept that, it would have to be to scale.

 

[Nakajo]

It's a bit of a grey area, but under the Prior Approval rules your LA may be required to accept that! The requirement for prior approval is simply that 'a plan' be submitted to the local authority (not even the planning department specifically!). As long as the works comply, they can only request additional information if they receive comment from a neighbour. Otherwise approval is given or assumed once the period (is it 56 days from the date of submission?) has elapsed.

 

[tony1851]

@op, Nakajo is right. Unlike for a normal planning application, the plan does not have to be to scale - it can be a very rough hand-drawn plan; this is confirmed in the legislation. It only needs to be sufficient to identify the site (just name the road/street it is on). They have no right to insist on elevations, 1:1250 block plan etc.

The whole idea of the prior notification scheme was to do away with the need for loads of drawings, to speed the process up.

They are entitled to ask for further information to check that it would in fact be permitted development.
To this end, all I do is write a note on the drawing saying " maximum height (4m); maximum height to eaves (3m); materials to match those of the existing house and the extension to comply in all respects with the conditions in A1"

You don't have to fill in their forms either - you can just send a note in with the drawing, giving name and address, and addresses of adjoining properties.

The LPA has 42 days to do this. If you don't hear from them by that time, you can go ahead by default.

If your LPA demands anything else, they are acting unlawfully - end of.

 

[tomfe]

Sorry did not see the PD part in the op.

 

[Cosmo&]

Thanks all - why can't councils be this helpful??!

 

[Sid1968]

Just want to add

When you say that the drawings do not need to be to scale how do the LPA establish 50% of the area criteria???

This is one of the criterias for the neighbour Consultation application?????

 

[tony1851]

Just want to add

When you say that the drawings do not need to be to scale how do the LPA establish 50% of the area criteria???

This is one of the criterias for the neighbour Consultation application?????

You just confirm that less than 50% of the remaining area of the curtilage will be built on.
This is why I always include a note to the effect that "all conditions in A1 will be complied with". This stops them
being able to say that they don't have enough information.

If an LPA starts delaying/messing about on things like this, I just advise them that they have all the info needed to comply with the legislation, and that the 42-day clock started ticking as soon as they received the notification.