When is a conservatory not a conservatory

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My understanding is that a conservatory has to be separated from the main house by external doors and if heated this has to be separate to the main house system. And also have a transparent roof. I have seen adverts for solid roofs that provide insulation, and have noticed on adverts that they tend to show as open plan from the house. does that not require planning?
 
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My understanding is that a conservatory has to be separated from the main house by external doors and if heated this has to be separate to the main house system. And also have a transparent roof. I have seen adverts for solid roofs that provide insulation, and have noticed on adverts that they tend to show as open plan from the house. does that not require planning?

There is some confusion here.

Planning permission is a seperate requirement. Some extension can be done under permitted development, some cant and need full planning.

What you are referring to is building regs, specifically part L, energy efficiency.

A conservatory used to require 75% clear in roof and 50% in frames, but that description was changed to 'substantially glazed.......such structures could be exempt from buildings provided they were thermally separate from the house, ie an external door between.

If a structure is open to the house it has to have building regs -for the whole structure. A SAPs test can be done if the structure is not sufficientoy indulated, say due to having too much glass.
 
20 examples of the sorts of things you can do to improve a property, but beware some of these do come with RESTRICTIONS and CONDITIONS.
  1. Install roof lights
  2. Convert a loft
  3. Add an extension
  4. Build a basement
  5. Internal remodel
  6. Convert two homes into one
  7. Add a porch
  8. Move windows and doors
  9. Use attached buildings (garages etc.)
  10. Add a gate, wall or fence
  11. Install garden decking
  12. Add a conservatory
  13. Build a swimming pool
  14. Construct new access
  15. Add cladding
  16. Put up a shed or outbuilding
  17. Use an outbuilding as a home office
  18. Create a parking area
  19. Install solar panels
  20. Use agricultural land
 
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No to all three.
A conservatory doesn't have to be separated from the main house and have a separate heating system, but an exempt (from building regs) conservatory does.

As to glazing, there's no longer a requirement for a proportion of glazing for a conservatory to be exempt, but substantial glazing is a defining characteristic of any conservatory. If it doesn't have it, it isn't one in the first place, exempt or not.
 

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