Barcelona Triathlon

Trevor Hyatt (MD) recently completed the Barcelona Triathlon along with some friends to raise money for various charities.

Tips on how to get planning approval

Balconies, verandas and even decking (if it stands more than 300mm high) do need planning permission.

Planning rules are much tighter if you live in a listed building. You have no permitted development rights and making changes inside, or outside or in the aurrounding area, will routinely need planning permission. This doesn't mean that altering or extend...

ing a property is impossible. English Heritage keeps a register of every listed building in Britain, including the features for which they were listed and attempting to meddle with these attributes is planning suicide - other things may be a little easier. Homes in conveservation areas are also subject to special rules. You can't pebbledash the facade for example.

If you wish to pave over your garden for parking, you will probably not need planning permission, as long as you use porus bricks, gravel or slabs, don't live on an A or B road and don't cover an area of more than 5sqm. But you will need the approval of your local highways authority and have to pay for the kerb to be dropped.

Some further tips on how to get your plans approved

Make the most of your surprisngly wide "permitted development" rights to maximise red tape. you can build a decent -sized rear extension, conservatory and even a basement extension without planning permission, although you must comply with Building Regulations. Be very sure of your ground before you break ground.

The Government's newly proposed Perm...

itted Development Rights will make it easier for homeowners to install conservatories and ground-floor extensions without planning permission. If, after consultation, the proposals go ahead at the end of this year. It could mean that for a limited period, possibly two to three years, full planning permission will be needed only for extensions that extend more than 6m from the wall of a terraced house (currently it is 3m) or 8m beyond a detached house (it is now 4m). But permission will still be needed in conservation areas for listed homes.

Take a look at some recently completed work

One of our recently completed building and decorating projects in Mardley Hill

Trevor Hyatt - Virgin London Triathlon

Trevor Hyatt MD of Linley Developments participating in his latest charity quest the Virgin London Marathon raising money for various fantastic charities as part of Linley's CSR Programme

Tips to get your plans approved

1. Being too ambitious is the key reason why people have their planning applications knocked back. One obvious tip-off is to check whether any neighbours have completed similar projects. Things also look good if your proposal cannot be seen from the street and will not impace on your neighbours.

2. You can also get preapplication advice from your local council
 

3. Keeping your neighbours onside is vital. Even if it's just popping your head over the garden fence and saying you are thinking about an extension. If they feel involved from an early stage they are likely to feel more engaged than if you tell them the day before you put your planning application in and they are less likely to object.

More tips to follow next week

Loft Conversions 20 Great Ideas

Follow our great ideas for loft conversions over the coming weeks

11. Be more conservative

The conservation roof light is a modern reproduction of Victorian cast iron single glazed rooflight.
Designed with a thin, low-profile frame, this conservation rooflight sits flush with the plane of the roof and is visually less obtrusive than a conventional rooflight.
In conservation areas and on listed buildings, the local planning authority is likely to be far more receptive to proposals for additional openings in the roof if conservation rooflights were used.  In many instances they are a requirement of planning consent.

They are also favoured by the National Trust, English Heritage and many conservation designers for all period properties.

Conservation rooflights are also identifiable because larger window openings are divided vertically by glazing bars in sections to ensure that each pane is always taller than it is wide. As well as creating more pleasant proportions, this reflects the limitations on the size of glazed panels in the 19th century before the development of float glass.