Planning permission....

I have a garage it is detached from my house, the garage itself has also been extended!

The garage is quite damp in one corner and the roof is crap so I want it either renovating or rebuilding totally so it could be made into another room, possibly attached to the house!

The gap between the house and garage is about 1.5metres by 9 metres (like an alleyway) I would, if possible like this to be undercover also, but there are outside drainpipes here.

Will I need planning permission for what I am intending?

Perhaps not, if you're not extending beyond the front of the house.

Ask the council planning dept.! They don't eat you, not these days.

Then again, you could always do it and if they find out apply for retrospective planning permission.

You would probably be wise to ask the planning dept for advice Ed. If you intend changing the use of the building to a habitable room, that would change the ratable value of the whole property and the alterations should be subject to building regulations.
What a bummer!!

Are you taking in a lodger?
I can move in anytime.

A quality 'arf' Bazza.

Seriously though Bazza, if you fancy filling a skip for me, I can allow you to stay a night or two until the roof goes on!

Eddie, is the garage walls of single brick or double?
If it's of single brick, you wont be able to use it for living purposes and would have to build a second single wall alongside the original. Again you would need planning permision.

Eddie,
I think Stu is right when he says you will need building regs too. As such the planners will know what your up to anyway. Best to inform them in the first place.

I don't mind mate.
I'll be quite at home in the kennel.

At last - a topic I can advise sensibly on! There are a number of 'ifs' and 'buts' which may apply, but I'll try to give you a simple guide.

If you want to merely renovate the existing garage to make it into a habitable room (or rooms) you will probably not require planning permission, unless a stipulation was made, at the time the house and garage were built, as to the continued use of the garage for that purpose. This normally only occurs on developments built since the 1980's but it is best to check with your local authority.

If you decide you want to demolish part, or all, of it and re-build to the same footprint, without increasing the overall volume, it will be prudent to check with the planners; they may still say you do not need planning permission but it is impossible to be certain.

The area between the house and garage may be filled in under permitted development, provided that a) the extension to the garage (and any other additions to the original house) do not use it all up. How much you are allowed depends on whether the house is terraced (which I assume it is not) or a semi or fully detatched. If the latter, you are allowed 50 cubic metres or a percentage of the overall volume, whichever is least; unfortunately, I can't recall what that percentage is!

If you are in a conservation area, an area of outstanding natural beauty, or if there are any Article 4 Directives in place, PD does not apply anyway. Once again, check first.

Whatever correspondence you do have with the planning department, make sure you have it in writing, and keep it with the deeds of your house.

Having established what, if any, planning permission you require, and having made the necessary applications (a planning application attracts a fee of ?135 for domestic works) there is the small matter of the building regulations. Now, these will apply whether or not planning permission is needed, as they are entirely seperate entities. I have a feeling I'll have to continue on a seperate post for that.

"If you are in a conservation area"

hahahahahaha! No Fred, he lives in Merseyside. Hahahahahahahahah! Sorry Edwardo!

The building regulations deal with structural integrity, safety, energy efficiency, accessibility and a whole host of other things. The amount that will apply to you depends on the extent of works; if you simply renovate the existing building you will not be subject to as many elements. Part L1(B) is the one which will present you with the most difficulty as it will apply regardless.

A garage is an unheated, uninhabitable space. As soon as you want to make it habitable you have to insulate it. What Ged says is partly correct; if you can, add an inner skin of lightweight, aerated concrete blockwork with a cavity of about 80 to 100mm; this can then be partially filled with insulation. You can have a smaller cavity with full-fill insulation, but this may present problems where a wall is exposed to driving rain, as moisture can pass through.

You don't have to do this however. A cheaper and simpler solution is to paint the inner face with a bituminous paint or similar (to stop moisture passing right through) and then form a timber frame against the inside which can be insulated between the studs; an additional layer goes across the face of the frame to prevent cold bridging, which is held in place with plasterboard.

Space and time prevents a discourse on all the niceties of the regulations (which would, in any case, bore the pants off everyone else). The best thing you can do is seek the advice of a competent builder or, better still, an architectural technician.

Whoever does advise you needs to know how much insulation you will need; guesswork is not enough. The safest course is to submit a Full Plans application to the local authority, with scale drawings showing what you intend to do. You can carry the work out under a Building Notice, but this means everything will be worked out as you go along and there is a risk that you may have to undo a lot of work to rectify a mistake. Either course of action will attract another fee; the amount will depend on the estimated cost of the work.

It is well worth taking a look at your local authority's website - they all have one now - and look under the A to Z of services for planning and building control/building regulations. There will be advice and FAQ's which may or may not answer some of your questions.

Cheers Fred, spot on mate!

But as for the rest of you lot, especially you the freeloading dosser wanting to take up valuable kennel space and put a scabby dog on the street, in future could you all PHONE the necessary department/s before answering my posts for advice in future?

Now be off with you!

Jethro, that hurts mate!

Eddie

Fred has given you chapter and verse, the only thing I can add is talk to the people in the Building Control department of your local council - they are(usually) quite helpful, and will be able to point out any local anomalies with regards to planning applications, every council seems to read the rules slightly differently!