Outbuilding - Certificate of Lawfulness

[Ron_UK]

Hi All

With Planning Permission and Building Regulations being two different things i'd appreciate your advice regarding the application for a Certificate of Lawfulness.

The outbuilding will have an internal floor area of 29 sq/metres and will be 0.8 - 0.6 metres from boundary's on the Left & Right sides. This means the height must not exceed 2.5 Metres and it must be made of substantially non-combustible materials which it will be.

Question

When i view online checklists for Certificate of Lawfulness applications they seem to require or request plans rather than materials.

Would i be correct in saying that a Certificate of Lawfulness application is just interested in the following information :

• It's use
• Size
• Height
• Positioning
• Location
• Space it will occupy

Because my outbuilding will be 0.8 - 0.6 Metres from the boundary would they also want to know what materials i'm using?

I cannot see a request for materials to be used or did i miss it!

Many thanks
Ron

 

[John D v2.0]

Yes you would be correct, and for permitted development you just have to use similar materials of it's an extension, but it's not.
So you don't have to specify explicitly.

You could submit a full plans for building regs to confirm materials ree combustibility, but that would be massive overkill. Far better to just chat to them off the record if you're concerned.

 

[Ron_UK]

Hi John

I see what you mean, thank you.
So i guess a Certificate of Lawfulness basically says yes your chosen position, size, height etc is ok and you may proceed.

Regarding the materials.
I'm guessing again that the construction would only be inspected if a neighbour raised concerns with the council?
If for example it was 0.5 Metres away from the neighbours boundary and made of wood then the concern is justified
but stick to the rules and construct with Celcon Blocks and all should be ok (hopefully).

As it's going to be 0.8 - 0.6 Metres away from the boundary i was wondering this may cause concern if seen on the plans
during the Certificate of Lawfulness application so i could mark it as Concrete Block construction with Tile / Formed Metal roof?
Again maybe mentioning this is not required but it may help as it does state for permitted development that it should be constructed
of substantially non-combustible materials if less than 1 Metre from a boundary.

Thanks
Ron

 

[John D v2.0]

it does state for permitted development that it should be constructed
of substantially non-combustible materials if less than 1 Metre from a boundary.

No, that's incorrect.
For permitted development the roles are based on the appearance and position
For building regs exemption it needs to be under 15m2 or under 30m2 and substantially non combustible.

 

[^woody^]

Planning permission is concerned with permission to build - including siting, use, size and appearance.

Building Regulations are concerned with how you build - materials and how it's built.

 

[Ron_UK]

Hi John & Woody

I stand corrected.

So even though the outbuilding would be less than 1 Metre from the boundary, there is no need to state what material the structure is to be made from
when making a Certificate of Lawfulness application?

They are more interested in the following :

• It's use

• Size

• Height

• Positioning

• Location

• Space it will occupy

• And appearance

When you say appearance would you mean position of any windows, door, roof type, finish & colour?

Just need to fine tune my understanding.
Thanks
Ron

 

[^woody^]

When you say appearance

Appearance is what it looks like.

The materials would need to be described in the context of how the building will look eg "red brick walls", " brown concrete tiled roof".

 

[chappers]

But as it's PD that's irrelevant as it's a separate building.

 

[Ron_UK]

Hello

When the time comes for the application i think i'll keep any descriptions short and just show the plans in detail.
If they want to know what it will look like (colour wise) they can ask me, lol!

Thanks for everyone's input.
Ron