Do I need planning permission for a loft conversion?
Most loft conversions in England with a rear dormer or roof lights are permitted development, within volume limits. Front dormers and anything that raises the roof need planning permission.
Check your own loft conversion 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
- The extra roof space is no more than 40 cubic metres on a terraced house, or 50 cubic metres on a semi or detached house (earlier roof extensions count).
- No dormer on the roof slope at the front facing a road.
- Nothing higher than the highest part of the existing roof.
- Dormers set back about 20cm from the eaves where practical, and materials similar to the house.
- Side windows obscure glazed and fixed shut below 1.7m from the floor. No balconies.
- Roof lights only: allowed if they stick out no more than 15cm from the roof.
You need planning permission if
- A front dormer facing a road, or raising the ridge.
- Your home is in a conservation area (roof extensions are not permitted development there).
- 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
Yes: structure, a fire safe escape route and stairs, insulation, and sound between floors. Get a completion certificate.
Planning permission and building regulations are separate: a project can need one, both or neither.
Also think about
- Party wall notice on a semi or terrace, where the conversion cuts into the shared wall.
- Bats: if they use your roof, a survey may be needed before work.
- A Lawful Development Certificate for proof it is permitted development.
Questions people ask
Do roof lights need planning permission?
Usually not: roof lights are permitted development if they stick out no more than 15cm from the roof slope and are not higher than the roof. Listed buildings and some conservation areas differ.
Is a hip to gable loft conversion permitted development?
It can be on a semi or detached house, within the volume limits and not on a front slope facing a road. Check the volume carefully, as hip to gable conversions use a lot of it.
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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.