In this case, our client had extended his home in Manchester with a rear dormer roof extension believing the works to be permitted development, meaning that planning permission is not required.
Manchester City Council disagreed that what he had built was, in fact, permitted development and an appeal against the council’s refusal to issue a lawful development certificate was dismissed.
He therefore faced the horrifying prospect that he might have to demolish the extensions in their entirely.
We applied for planning permission for the development, but the council refused it. Councils often have very strict policies when it comes to roof extensions, so if works do not quite comply with the permitted development rules, it is likely that a full planning application would be refused. We have written about this problem here and here.
The inspector agreed with the council that the dormer was quite large and bulky, but agreed with us that there were lots of other similar examples along the street. He also decided that the dormer was similar to what would be possible under permitted development.
We were delighted when the inspector allowed the appeal and granted planning permission, saving our client’s extension from planning enforcement action and the possibility of demolition.
If you have been refused planning permission for extensions to your home or have been served with an enforcement notice after carrying out some works, please do not hesitate to contact our lovely team for some advice.
For more on extensions and planning permission, including all the rules around permitted development, check out Martin Gaine’s bestselling book, How to Get Planning Permission – An Insider’s Secrets.
