Do I need planning permission for a conservatory?
A conservatory is treated as a single storey extension, so the same permitted development limits apply. Many are also exempt from building regulations.
Check your own conservatory in about 20 seconds: we look up your postcode's official conservation area and Article 4 data and apply these rules to your home.
These are the rules for houses in England. Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland have their own, similar but different. Flats and maisonettes have no householder permitted development rights.
Usually no planning permission needed if
- It goes no more than 3m beyond the original rear wall (attached house) or 4m (detached), and is no more than 4m high.
- Eaves no higher than 3m within 2m of a boundary.
- With everything else, it covers no more than half the land around the original house.
- It is at the back or a modest single storey side (not in a conservation area).
You need planning permission if
- It goes beyond the extension limits.
- Your home is a flat or maisonette: flats have no householder permitted development rights.
- Your home is listed: you need listed building consent for most work, inside or out.
- Your permitted development rights were removed by a planning condition or an Article 4 direction (ask the council, or check the planning history of your home).
Building regulations
Usually not, if it is under 30 square metres, at ground level, separated from the house by outside quality doors or walls, has its own heating controls (or none), and the glazing meets safety standards. Knocking through to the house removes the exemption.
Planning permission and building regulations are separate: a project can need one, both or neither.
Also think about
- A solid roof or knocking through to the kitchen turns it into an extension for building regulations.
- Party wall notice if it is on the boundary.
Questions people ask
Does a conservatory need building regulations?
Often not, if it is under 30 square metres, separated from the house by outside doors, and has independent heating. Take away the doors, or add the house's radiators, and it needs approval.
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General guidance from LocalWins, last checked October 2026. It is not legal advice or a planning decision, and every home is different: confirm anything important with your council or a qualified professional.