You are here : Home > Planning & Design > Obtaining Planning Permission > Making a Planning Application > Permitted Development Rights

Permitted Development Rights

Permitted development rights are provided by Article 3 of the Town and Country Planning (General Permitted Development) Order 1995 (the GPDO).  This allows certain types of development to proceed without the need for planning permission and permits householders to undertake alterations, minor extensions as well as erect buildings and structures within the curtilage of a property, without planning permission.
Schedule 2 of the GPDO specifies all the different types of permitted development rights and the various limitations which apply.  The current schedule is divided into 33 parts - see the bottom half of the page.    Each part relates to a particular category of development. 

Limits on or Withdrawal of Permitted Development Rights
While the basic aim of permitted development rights is to exclude relatively minor development proposals from planning controls, the scope of these rights are, and can be controlled by the following measures:

  • Each part of Schedule 2 of the GPDO contains a number of detailed limitations on what specifically constitutes permitted development.  These rights are more restrictive in the case of Listed Buildings, Conservation Areas, National Parks and Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty.
  • Most forms of development which require an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) are exempt from permitted development rights.
  • Certain types of permitted development relating to agriculture and telecommunications apparatus are subject to a condition requiring the prior approval of the local planning authority to the siting and appearance of these works.
  • When granting planning permission for a particular development , local authorities can, by condition, remove permitted development rights.
  • Under Article 4 of the GDPO, local authorities can serve a direction which has the effect of removing specified permitted development rights from a particular area.  
  • For more specific examples of what this means, see our Article 4 Direction FAQs page
  • The areas within North Norfolk subject to Article 4 Directions are listed in this pdf document.

More information can be found on the Planning Portal  'Permitted Development Rights'  pages.

Recent Additions to Permitted Development
New permitted development rights for wind turbines (building-mounted and stand alone) and air source heat pumps, came into force on 1 December 2011.  Details can be found on the Planning Portal.