Refused Planning Permission For A Residential Extension In Waltham Forest
Applications are normally refused for the following reasons:
– Your proposal has a negative impact on the character and appearance of the area, the street scene, or the setting of a heritage asset; or
– Your proposal has a detrimental effect on the living conditions of your neighbours, such as loss of light, outlook, privacy, or amenity.
If you have been refused planning permission in Waltham Forest, there are two main routes available to you: 1. You can appeal against the decision to the Planning Inspectorate, or 2. You can take note of the reasons for refusal, make changes, and resubmit.
The problem with appealing is that the outcome will always be uncertain and takes a long time to be decided. In some cases it can be the only way of getting planning permission for what you want, but making changes and re-submitting is often the most viable way forward. A resubmitted application can be the quicker route to approval.
How Long Does It Take To Get Planning Permission In Waltham Forest
Getting planning permission in Waltham Forest normally takes 8 weeks from the date of application.
However, whilst most applications are decided within this timeframe, sometimes your case officer will ask you to extend the deadline. If you agree to this, new date will be set and a decision will normally be made on or before this new date. Around 80% of applications are decided within the 8 week period or an agreed time.
Extending Your Home In Waltham Forest
Getting planning permission for a residential extension in Waltham Forest can be tricky, with official guidance stating that rear extensions should extend no further into the garden in 3 metres. However, this guidance is old and thankfully – in most cases – you can get more.
In fact, many residential extensions and alterations will not require planning permission in Waltham Forest. Instead, they can be carried out under a process known as Permitted Development. However, many extensions (such as house extensions, larger than 3m in depth for terraced or semi-detached houses, and 4m in depth for detached houses) will require planning permission or another process, known as the Larger Home Extension process.
The process is more complicated when you live in a flat or maisonette. Here, almost all extensions and alterations will require planning permission.
The national planning website (the Planning Portal) provides some general advice with regards to residential extensions.
HMOs in Waltham Forest
If you own a property in Waltham Forest that is currently being used as a HMO, but doesn’t have planning approval or is now located within an Article 4 Direction area (as was brought in in Waltham Forest on 16th September 2014), it may be possible to obtain a Lawful Development Certificate to establish the HMO use as the lawful use of the property. These certificates require evidence to be submitted for assessment by planning officers. allPlanning have helped several clients to be issued with certificates in Waltham Forest in recent times. It is important to engage the services of a local planning consultant with a proven track record of success dealing with such applications.
Getting Planning Permission In Waltham Forest
If you’re planning an extension in Waltham Forest, the first thing you need to do is check if you need planning permission. Some alterations, extensions or changes of use do not need planning permission. This is called ‘permitted development’. However, different rules apply if you live in a conservation area, or your property is listed.
If you need planning permission, the first thing you need to do is understand the planning policies in Waltham Forest and how their planning officers interpret those policies. Searching their website for how similar applications have been assessed can be helpful.
It might be worth seeking help from a planning consultant, who can save you time and money, and increase the chances of getting planning permission. A planning consultant can help you with:
– Designing your extension to meet your needs and comply with planning policies
– Preparing and submitting your planning application and supporting documents
– Negotiating with the council and addressing any issues
