Planning permission question

[mlj123]

Does anyone know if you need planning permission to add more bricks/ less glass to a conservatory? We want to make it into a proper room, but at the minute it's freezing cold and damp. I spoke to a builder that says he can add a tiled roof and brick up the walls more, plaster, heating etc and we wouldn't need planning permission. Is this true as I can't seem to find any information?

I think I remember reading that if it's 50% or more glass then it's still considered a conservatory. However if your house has permitted development rights most modest single storey conservatories could be converted into an extension under those rights.

Thanks for your reply, so this os what it looks like at the minute. Could I get away with adding any more brick? Or does it look like that's already the maximum brick I can have?

www.planningportal.co.uk/info/200187/your_responsibilities/37/planning_permission/2

It depends on how far out it comes from the main house. Take a look at the permitted development rights and if it qualifies you won't need planning permission.

Frankly I would really question whether it is worth flinging thousands at trying to make a damp conservatory liveable. They are classed as temporary structures and have a limited life.

Don't forget most are stood on a light slab and not proper foundations so if you add the weight of bricks and a roof, you may find that it starts sinking.

If you can afford or save, replace with a property extension that is part of the house and usable all year

Assuming it's less than a certain m2, distance from neighbours foundations etc then yes falls under permitted development rights - you'd still need building regs though. By the time you've had a roof and more brick it would be better just to knock the conservatory down and start again

I can't see where'd you'd actually put more brick anyway - you've actually got more brick than most with having the one side wall as a solid wall. It is a big space to have no radiators in though so perhaps looks at taking up the timber floor covering, laying thin insulation, new floor covering and some radiators which might improve things?

I agree with advice above. This won’t have the foundations to use bricks and a roof. This space should be resigned as an extension. You need to ensure that the foundations will allow the bricks to join the existing house and not be subject to movement. This needs far more thought than your builder is suggesting. Planning is required for larger conservatories in many areas so check what is already approved. Otherwise go for permitted development. Do build properly or you will still have a useless building on inadequate foundations which won’t pass building regs. I would not use the builder you went to because they don’t appear to understand what’s really required.

It can't be re designed as an extension because it can only come out from the house 3 meters and I had a previous builder that came round and sed it wouldn't work it would b too small, ( terraced house, small garden),

He also sed I'm not sure I'd get away with the conservatory now really cz it's a bit bigger than 3m, but it was already there when we bought the house so I would have thought so

The builder that suggested bricking it up hasn't been round to look yet he is due to come and weigh up the job some time soon but I thought it sounded not right that's y I wanted to check

Any building that’s not permitted development usually requires planning permission. I’m not sure you can even put up a conservatory without pp if it’s over a certain size. I would rather have a usable smaller room than a conservatory you cannot use. I would also check what planning permission the existing conservatory has. But I don’t see why you just don’t use permitted development rights or go for pp to get something bigger in line with local planning policies.

@mlj123

It can't be re designed as an extension because it can only come out from the house 3 meters and I had a previous builder that came round and sed it wouldn't work it would b too small, ( terraced house, small garden),

The 3m limit relates to permitted development IE building that doesn't require full planning permission. If it extends more than 3m you would need to make a planning application. It doesn't mean that PP would definitely be refused. It would depend on the impact on neighbours etc.