Do I Need Planning Permission for an Extension in Nottinghamshire?
Do I Need Planning Permission for an Extension in Nottinghamshire?
Short answer: Sometimes. Many house extensions in England can be built under Permitted Development (PD) rights without full planning permission—if they meet strict limits on size, height, placement, and design. If your home is in a conservation area or is listed, or you want to go bigger than PD allows, you’ll need formal consent.
What counts as Permitted Development for extensions?
Under Class A of the GPDO (the national PD rules), extensions can be PD when they meet all conditions, including:
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Footprint: Extensions + outbuildings must not cover more than 50% of the land around the original house (as first built or as it stood on 1 July 1948).
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Fronts & highways: No extension forward of the principal elevation or a side elevation facing a highway.
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Materials: Exterior materials should be similar in appearance to the existing house (conservatories are an exception).
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Near boundaries: Where within 2m of a boundary, eaves height must be ≤ 3m.
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No verandas/balconies under PD.
Single-storey rear extensions (standard PD limits)
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Up to 3m deep on attached/semis/terraces.
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Up to 4m deep on detached houses.
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Max height 4m; overall ridge and eaves must not exceed the existing house.
“Larger home” single-storey rear extensions (Prior Approval)
You can go deeper using Prior Approval (not full planning):
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4m and up to 8m for detached homes.
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3m and up to 6m for other houses.
This triggers a council neighbour consultation and approval window (the “larger home extension” rules are now permanent). Note: this scheme does not apply on designated land such as conservation areas.
Side extensions under PD
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Must be single-storey.
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Height ≤ 4m and width < half the width of the original house.
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Not allowed on designated land (e.g., conservation areas).
Two-storey rear extensions under PD (much tighter)
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Depth ≤ 3m, and the rear wall must be ≥ 7m from the opposite boundary.
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Roof pitch/materials to match existing; obscure-glazed side windows.
Where PD does not apply or is restricted
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Conservation Areas / “Designated land”: PD is limited (e.g., no side extensions under PD; the “larger home extension” scheme doesn’t apply). Nottingham City has 33 conservation areas, with public mapping available.
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Article 4 Directions: Councils can remove PD rights in specific streets/areas. Nottingham City has several Article 4 directions (notably for HMOs and selected conservation-area streets). Rushcliffe currently states no Article 4 directions borough-wide, but many villages are designated conservation areas, so PD may still be limited by conservation status. Always check.
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Listed buildings: Require Listed Building Consent for most works—PD is not a safe route.
Nottingham & Nottinghamshire: Local planning context (premium areas)
If you live in one of Nottingham/Nottinghamshire’s most sought-after neighbourhoods, you’re more likely to be in or near a conservation area or close to listed buildings, which tightens what you can do under PD:
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The Park Estate & Castle/Arboretum/Lace Market (City): Extensive conservation coverage; Article 4 may apply on certain streets. Expect design scrutiny and, often, planning permission for visible extensions.
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Mapperley Park & Alexandra Park (City): Conservation Area with character-appraisal guidance; side/extensions facing highways usually need permission; materials/design details matter.
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Wollaton & Edwalton / West Bridgford & Gamston (Rushcliffe): Many streets with high amenity value; Edwalton has a defined conservation area. West Bridgford itself has no Article 4 directive borough-wide, but conservation areas across Rushcliffe still apply special controls—always check the address on the council map.
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Ruddington, Keyworth, Radcliffe-on-Trent, Bingham, Burton Joyce, Southwell: Attractive village/town centres with conservation areas and listed buildings (Southwell in Newark & Sherwood has many); expect tighter design policies near heritage assets.
Tip: Use the council conservation area map before you design—what’s PD on a typical street in, say, Wollaton, may require full planning on a nearby conservation street in The Park or Mapperley Park.
Other permissions often needed (even when PD applies)
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Building Regulations: Most extensions need Building Control sign-off (structure, insulation, fire, drainage). PD doesn’t remove this requirement.
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Build Over / Near a Public Sewer (Severn Trent): If building over or within ~3m of a public sewer, you’ll need the water company’s consent (and sometimes CCTV surveys). Factor this into programme and cost.
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Party Wall etc. Act 1996: Notify neighbours when works affect shared walls or close foundations (separate from planning; still applies).
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Driveways/Front gardens & highways sightlines: Anything facing the highway is tightly controlled—front/side extensions that project towards the street generally aren’t PD.
How to be 100% sure (and speed up conveyancing later)
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Check PD early with the Planning Portal mini-guides and the UK Gov technical guidance.
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Apply for a Lawful Development Certificate (LDC) if you proceed under PD—this is proof your extension was lawful, invaluable at sale or remortgage.
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Use Prior Approval for larger rear extensions (6m/8m) where eligible; the council will consult neighbours and decide within a set timeframe.
Common scenarios in Nottinghamshire (examples)
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Open-plan kitchen-diner in West Bridgford / Edwalton: A single-storey rear extension up to 3–4m may be PD; go 6–8m via Prior Approval if not on designated land. Check sewers (lots of 20th-century estates have shared runs).
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Side extension in Mapperley Park or The Park: Side extensions are not PD on designated land; expect to need planning permission with heritage-led design and materials.
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Two-storey rear in Wollaton: Under PD, depth is ≤ 3m and must be ≥ 7m from the rear boundary—anything larger needs full planning and neighbour amenity assessments.
Step-by-step: your route to approval
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Feasibility & survey – establish PD potential, sewers, trees, conservation/listed status.
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Concept design – align with PD limits or local policy (if planning needed).
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Pre-app (optional) – useful in conservation areas to de-risk.
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LDC (if PD) or Householder Planning (if not PD) or Prior Approval (6m/8m).
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Building Regulations – drawings, structural calcs, inspections.
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Build Over consent (if near public sewers).
FAQs
Do conservatories follow different rules?
They’re assessed under the same PD framework (depth/height/placement). Building Regulations may still apply, especially for structural openings and energy performance.
Are flats covered by PD for extensions?
No—PD rights are for houses, not flats/maisonettes.
Will Article 4 affect me in West Bridgford?
Rushcliffe’s FOI states no Article 4 directions borough-wide at present, but conservation area controls still apply and can limit PD—check your street on the council’s conservation pages.
Where we work
We design and build extensions across West Bridgford, Edwalton, Gamston, The Park Estate, Mapperley Park, Wollaton, Beeston & Chilwell, Ruddington, Keyworth, Radcliffe-on-Trent, Burton Joyce, Bingham, Southwell, Arnold and Woodthorpe. If you’re in or near a conservation area we’ll guide you through the right permission route and heritage design details to get approval first time.
Ready to extend?
Templewood Construction offers a complete design & build service—from planning strategy and drawings to construction and finishing. If you’re in Nottingham or Nottinghamshire, we’ll help you choose the fastest approval route and produce a beautiful, compliant extension.