Here are a few helpful articles about planning permission

A garage is often a sensible addition to a home. Not only does it serve a useful purpose, but it can also add value to your property and increase its appeal to potential buyers. You can also benefit from cheaper car insurance if you have a garage.

With Permitted Development rights, you can choose whether to build a detached garage or have it attached to your home.

Building a garage extension

If you prefer to build a garage as an extension to your Wirral home, you need to follow the same rules as for building an extension. Taking a typical detached or semidetached property in Bromborough as an example, this will typically involve building a single-storey side extension.

Side extensions must be single storey to be considered permitted development, so you’ll need to apply for planning permission if, for example, you want to also add an extra bedroom above the garage. Wirral Borough Council should be your first port of call here.

Building a detached garage

A detached garage may be a better option if you have space at the rear of the property, and this can open up more options. For example, the width will not be limited to half of your house’s width, as would be the case with a side extension. Unlike with side extensions, you are also not obliged to use exterior materials that resemble those of your home, and this may help keep the build cost down.

In terms of build area, you are only limited by the general rule that you may only build on a maximum of 50% of the land surrounding the original house. This includes any extensions and outbuildings added by previous owners, so be sure to take these into account. All outbuildings, including garages, must be single-storey and a maximum of 4m high, although this is reduced to 2.5m in height when within 2m of a property boundary.

While it’s possible to build a two-storey house extension in Chester under Permitted Development (PD) rights, thus avoiding the need for planning permission, this will not be an option for some properties. This is especially true of terraced houses, because PD rights limit any extension within 2m of a side boundary to a maximum height of 3m.

Both rear and side single-storey extensions are considered permitted development, but note there are other restrictions beyond the basic dimensions discussed here. For example, you cannot build on more than half of the land surrounding the original house, including any previous extensions or outbuildings added by previous owners. The exterior of the new extension must also sufficiently resemble the original house’s exterior.

Side extensions

For permitted development, side extensions can be no wider than half the width of the existing house. In theory, the extension can be up to 4m high, but seeing as it may need to be within 2m of the nearest side boundary, the height may well be limited to 3m.

Rear extensions

Rear extensions can also be up to 4m high if they don’t approach any side boundaries and 3m high if they do. For detached houses, an extension can project up to 4m from the rear of the house, with this being reduced to 3m for attached houses.

However, increased limits of 8m and 6m respectively are available until 30 May 2019 if your house is not located on designated land or a site of special scientific interest. If you want to take advantage of these increased limits, you’ll need to follow the process for the Neighbour Consultation Scheme. This involves notifying the planning authority of Cheshire West and Chester Council, who will then consider the proposal and notify adjacent neighbours before making a decision.

If you’re looking to extend your Chester home, it might be possible to build even a two-storey extension under Permitted Development (PD) rights without needing to apply for planning permission. This can potentially save time and money, but there are restrictions, so here’s a quick guide to what you can expect to achieve.

General restrictions

The PD rules only allow extensions and other outbuildings to occupy up to 50% of the land around the original house, which refers to the house when it was built, or how it stood on 1 July 1948 if it’s older than this.

Area restrictions

Unlike with single-storey extensions, two-storey extensions can only project up to 3m from the rear of the house, and they must not come within 7m of the rear boundary. This applies to both floors – for example, you cannot have a 6m-deep, ground-floor extension and a 3m-deep first-floor extension over it.

In terms of side boundaries, any extensions within 2m of a side boundary are limited to 3m in height. This effectively means a two-storey extension must have at least 2m clearance from any side boundaries. This also means that a two-storey extension will not be feasible for most terraced houses.

Other restrictions

While this article gives you an idea of what you can realise under PD rules, many other restrictions and exceptions need to be considered. For example, raised verandas and balconies are not allowed, and any extension needs to use external materials similar to the original house.

When looking for a builder in Chester, try to find one who knows the pitfalls of building extensions under PD rights, as the Roman city is known for its conservation and protection of historic sites. In addition, Cheshire West and Chester Council may, for a fee, be able to check your proposed plans and provide written confirmation that they adhere to PD rules.