Planning Permission

For many (but not all) installations, Planning Permission is not required. You will need to investigate your own particular case, but smallish installations on "normal" properties can be done under "Permitted Development". However, if your property is listed or in certain "special" areas of the country you WILL need Planning Permission. The bottom line is, though, that you must check.

My local planning department told me that I could, voluntarily, apply (and pay) to obtain a certificate of lawfulness. This is basically a document that says that the department has looked at the details of a Permitted Development and determined that it is, indeed, permitted. I am not entirely convinced of the value of doing this, lthough we did it anyway.

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