Making the most of permitted development…

We have always had a keen eye for fully utilising available permitted development rights for our clients, often to establish a clear ‘fallback position’ as part of broader negotiation for extensions to houses. So when an architect we enjoy working with asked for our assistance in securing a large extension to a house located in a Buckinghamshire green belt, we put our PD thinking caps on….

The result pleased our clients hugely – a lawful development certificate granted for a proposed 36 metre long by 11 metre wide front extension to a small house set at the back of the plot. This is made possible by the lack of restriction on extensions forward from the principle elevation of a house, when that elevation does not front a highway.

The extension will increase the house to more than 5 times its original footprint.

Exploring PD options when faced with the NPPF (para 89) ‘disproportionate additions’ restriction on houses located in the green belt can clearly reap significant benefits.