You've circled dozens of home décor pictures in the magazines, pinned images to your Pinterest page, and perhaps even dreamed about picking out your paint colours. Your first practical step, however, in bringing your dream home to life is sorting out your planning permission.
Do You Need Planning Permission?
As we have mentioned before here, some home development projects do not actually require permission. For instance, renovations such as a loft extension, or an extension above a garage, might not need planning approval from your local authority. When you finalise your building ideas, you can check with your architect and here for information about whether or not your vision is likely to require permission.
What If Your Plans Are Rejected?
If your project does require planning permission, though, it's essential that you file for it properly. We've all heard the horror stories about homeowners who bypassed the rules only to end up having to tear down their expensive home addition. So, what should you do if you submit your plans and they're rejected?
Understand The Objections
First of all, you should read through the reason(s) listed by the local authority for their refusal. It is important to understand the regulations and concerns thoroughly before deciding on your next step. The planning office will be happy to explain their reasonings further, so contact your local department if needed.
Find Out If You Can Resubmit
The important thing to remember if your planning permission has been refused is that it is not necessarily the end of your home renovation dreams! In fact, your local authority might offer the option to alter your proposal and resubmit it for free in the first twelve months after receiving a rejection.
Appeal The Decision
If you're unhappy with the result issued by the authority and you're not allowed to resubmit, then it is also possible to lodge an appeal with the Secretary of State. In this scenario, you have six months from your decision date to file such a motion.
In addition, if for some reason your local authority does not refuse or grant permission at all within eight weeks, then you can also choose to appeal to the Secretary of State. In either case, you will no longer be dealing with your local authority at all, but the downside is that the processing period can be many months.
While all of these options are available to you, often the easiest and best course of action is to liaise with your planning office. In many cases, your local authority will be able to advise on changes and provide guidance on resubmitting your application. You can also enlist the services of an architectural firm, such as BDS Architecture, who will be able to help you navigate the process seamlessly.
