Planning Permission and Building Control

There are two types of permission that may be needed when carrying out building work.

Planning

Planning seeks to guide the way our towns, cities and countryside develop. This includes the use of land and buildings, the appearance of buildings, landscaping considerations, highway access and the impact that the development will have on the general environment.

Building Control

Building Regulations set standards for the design and construction of buildings to ensure the safety and health for people in or about those buildings. They also include requirements to ensure that fuel and power is conserved and facilities are provided for people, including those with disabilities, to access and move around inside buildings.

For many types of building work, separate permission under both regimes (separate processes) will be required. For other building work, such as internal alterations, Buildings Regulations approval will probably be needed, but Planning Permission may not be.

Gov.uk provides information about building regulations approvals, when you need it and how to apply or appeal a decision.

When you need approval

You must check if you need approval before you construct or change buildings in certain ways.

You do not need to get approval yourself if you use someone registered with a competent person scheme.

Work that does not need approval

You do not need building regulations approval for some exempt projects, including:

most repairs, replacements and maintenance work (except heating systems, oil tanks, fuse boxes and glazing units)
new power and lighting points, or changes to existing circuits (except around baths and showers)
like-for-like replacements of baths, toilets, basins and sinks

Find out more about common projects and check when you do and do not need approval.

Appeals and determinations

You can appeal if you think your project should not have to comply with building regulations.

Ask for a ‘determination’ if you’re refused building regulations approval and you think the building control body (BCB) decision is unfair.

If you think you should not have to comply

Ask your local authority to ignore or relax one or more of the building regulations if you think your project shouldn’t have to comply with them.

If the local authority still says you have to comply, you can appeal to government. You have a month to make the appeal.

Find out about making an appeal.

You may have to correct the work or pay a fine if building regulations are not followed.

Conservation areas

Conservation areas preserve the architectural and historic interest of a place, and place additional planning controls and considerations on works to buildings in the area.

Conservation areas are most likely to affect home-owners who want to undertake work on the outside of their property, restricting the work you can normally do without planning permission – like replacing doors and windows.

Living in a conservation area can also affect the work you can do to trees, gutters and down pipes and works under permitted development.

Your local planning authority will tell you what works you can do to your home in you live in a conservation area.

You can find out more about living in a conservation area on the Historic England website.

Listed buildings

Listed buildings preserve the architectural and historic interest of special buildings, and place additional planning controls and considerations on works to the building.

The local authority uses listed building consent to make decisions about works to listed buildings, including buildings that are occupied as a home.

Listed building consent must be applied for in order to make any changes to the building which might affect its special interest.

You can find out more about living in a listed building or how to make changes to a listed building on the Historic England website.

You can also search the National Heritage List for England, to find out if a property is listed.

Planning Portal

If you are thinking about undertaking works to your home, it’s a good idea to check out the planning guidance on the Planning Portal to see if you need planning permission or building regulations approval.

The Planning Portal is a national website that provides a wide range of services and information on the planning system. You can also submit applications directly through the portal.

You can find out more information about planning and building control in your local area by contacting your local planning authority below:

Boston Borough Council

City of Lincoln Council

East Lindsey District Council

North Kesteven District Council

South Holland District Council

South Kesteven District Council

West Lindsey District Council