Garage - planning permission required?

[winkywinkola]

If we knock down our old one and put a new one in, do we need to get pp?

The new one will be slightly different. Bigger probably.

I had my garage converted into a living space without planning permission. There is a process you can apply for retrospectively called regularisation, have a look here:

www.planningportal.gov.uk/buildingregulations/howtogetapproval/howtogetapproval/bcpresiteapproval/regularisation

You may require planning permission. It will depend on a variety of different factors eg is it attached to your house, have there been any other additions/extensions, the position in relation to boundaries, where your property is located (such as a Conservation Area).
Have a look at the Planning Portal www.planningportal.gov.uk/permission/ for some basic advice and then ring your local council.

Almost certainly: if it's a permanent structure you will need to check your local planning laws AND your house title deeds as some (esp in built up areas, newer builds and conservation areas ) have "restrictive covenents" to say that existing structures can't be enlarged at all without formal pp.
There's also a trend in some areas to build "garages" that have independent plumbing/electricity and then move family or lodgers in.... So check your house deeds, work outwhat you want and then check the rules on "permitted development". And then get proper legal advice!

Planning permission and building regs are two different processes.

Is it detached? Or attached to your house? If detached, it's unlikely to need either building regs or planning permission, but it's worth checking that with your local council's building control.

It attached, it'll probably need building regs, but they're not very onerous for a garage..

Some info here: www.planningportal.gov.uk/permission/commonprojects/outbuildings