Changing the appearance of a Mid-terraced house

[poteeto]

Hi fellow mners!
I was wondering if I could get any guidance on whether something like this will be ever permitted.
We’re in the process of buying a house that’s mid-terraced in the edge of London.
We love the property but not the front of the house, it has a typical 1970s look, with rusty red tile decorations!
The street has a uniform appearance and no one seems to have tried to change the colour or the tiles.

Has anyone managed to get permission approval for altering the front exterior of a mid terraced house? How did you do it?
Thanks in advance!

Do you need planning permission?

Wouldn't it be easier to give it a bit of kerb appeal with plants or something? If you change the front, the other houses in the terrace will still look the same.

I think changing one house in the middle of a terrace, or even one half of two semi detached houses is silly.

Stone cladding - I'm looking at you.

Much nicer to have them all the same.

I live on a terraced road where terraces have very varied appearances - red brick, stock brick, render (one painted pink!), even a wood cladding one. Some have lost their bay window. One has a zinc extension.

The planning authority has expressly recognised that our road does not have uniformity of character; as a result, they allow more stuff on our road than on other streets in our borough.

Personally this suits me, I like the diversity. But if every house on your street is the same, it may be different. Are you in a conservation area? You can also look at whether there are restrictions in place in terms of colour you can use. The starting point is that anything is allowed unless the planning authority has regulated against it.

You can also look up past planning decisions in the planning portal; you should be able to search for your street. Start with the most recent decisions, as planning policy changes over the years. An extension that would have been rejected five years ago, is now acceptable in our borough.

It’d depend where you are. We’re currently buying on a street that has one house in a row that has been painted half purple. The rest are all painted white.

I don’t think you can get permission to paint them anymore, according to the documents we’ve seen from our solicitor so far. It looks like they have to remain “in keeping with the street and style”.

The flat we’re selling has the same requirement; although it was more expected here as we’re technically in a conservation zone. The houses have to be the same uniformed colour.

@ILoveShula

If you're changing the appearance of the rendering not in character with neighbouring properties, I was told we have a high chance of needing permission! You're absolutely right, it's easier to update the kerb...

@MrsFin I agree stone cladding is not that nice . I have seen a few streets where one or two of the mid-terraced houses modernised the look of the front, and I think it looks alright.

@Yellownotblue
Your street sounds ideal
The property isn't in a conservation area. Thanks, I'll have a look at the planning portal and previous plans and colours that've been rejected.
Also great advise on the changes that happen over time, maybe I'll keep at it in the hope that slight differences!

Do what you like , it’s your house.

Jack and Vera Duckworth should be your guides.

Do consider on going maintenance. If you paint it then it will need doing again to keep it looking good and it's just something else that needs doing and paying for.

If you're changing the appearance of the rendering not in character with neighbouring properties, I was told we have a high chance of needing permission! You're absolutely right, it's easier to update the kerb

I’ve had the front of my semi-detached house rendered - was red brick lower half, pebbledash top half, no permission is required, unless your house is listed?