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Anastasia is brilliant with people and loves creating new relationships. Perfect skills for her role at DY! Away from work she’s a keen gym bunny and enjoys taking her dog out on long walks, plus she’s a natural both in front of and behind the camera!
When I was younger I wanted to be…
A fashion stylist. Even now I still go around telling my family and friends what to wear and if they ever need advice they know who to come to.
Top of my bucket list is…
A skydive in Dubai.
You might be surprised to know…
I am a Grade 8 singer. When I was 10 years old I performed at the Royal Albert Hall and went on a music tour through Barcelona in 2017.
On Sunday mornings you can usually find me…
Giving my dog a lovely long walk around Virginia Water.
10 Jan 2017
Many people decide to extend their home rather than moving. If you are happy with your home and just need more accommodation, then this is an option that’s well worth considering. However, before you start, you’ll need to establish what formal permissions may be required.
When considering the extension of your home you should certainly consider the following;
The work may consist of ‘development’ as defined under the Town & Country Planning Acts (as amended). If so, you may need to apply for planning permission. However, many areas in England allow certain ‘permitted development’ rights that waive the need to apply for planning permission for extensions up to a particular size, subject to certain caveats.
How to Submit a Planning Application
If your works consist of ‘building works’ as defined under Regulation 3 of the building regulations then you are likely to need to meet the design and build criteria set out under the various parts of the building regulations (these are different to planning regulations).
It’s usual to be required to submit structural and/or drawings as part of your application for building regulations. In most cases an inspector will want to visit several times at key stages of a project to ‘sign off’ that the project meets modern regulations. It used to be that a local authority inspector undertook building regulation inspections but nowadays you can also employ your own to do this work and arrange the formalities.
As part of the building regulations, you will need specific certification from properly qualified electricians and heating engineers (see below). At completion you will be issued with a certificate, which you should keep safe as you may need it when selling your home.
You will probably need to apply for building regulations when you propose to;
There are certain exemptions available for certain building types.
A building regulations compliance certificate will be issued by a registered gas safety engineer whenever a new gas boiler or hot water system is installed by them. To obtain a list of registered engineers certified to do this work go to the Gas Safe Register.
You will almost certainly require Part P certification for any new electrical installations.
Part P compliance is required when;
The regulations around Energy Performance Certificates (EPCs) now require that all new property must have an EPC once completed. It is the owner’s responsibility under Building Regulations to apply for a new EPC. It’s worth noting that the extension of a home to facilitate a glazed conservatory, for example, might dramatically change the energy efficiency of the entire building. You may be required to improve the energy efficiency of the existing building in order to offset this reduction.
See our blog: What is an Energy Performance Certificate (EPC)?
If you are a tenant, you may well require formal ‘landlord’s consent’ from your landlord before undertaking some building works. It is prudent to check your lease.
Even if you own your Freehold, you may be restricted over what is allowed in terms of development. ‘Development’ may well include a proposed change of use or the extension of a property.
You should check that any extension does not significantly reduce the amount of natural light available to a neighbour. If unsure, consider taking advice from a chartered surveyor that specialises in ‘rights of light’ issues.
In England, most homeowners have the right to permitted development rights.
Whilst this article provides an overview of the permissions what you may require before you can build an extension to your home, it is certainly worth speaking with your local planning authority prior to committing to work, as circumstances may differ locally (for example, the removal of permitted development rights, etc).
If unsure, consider applying to the local planning authority (your District or Borough Council) for a Certificate of Lawful Development. An application usually costs £75. This will not cover other issues such as the need for building regulations. For more information on permitted development visit www.planningportal.gov.uk
As ever, we recommend that specific professional advice is sought on a case-by-case basis. Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland each benefit from a variance on these rules, so it’s always prudent to check with the relevant planning authority.
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