A Guide to Conservatory Building Control and Approval

Building a conservatory can be an exciting project, but navigating the building control process can be daunting. The good news is that you don't need to be a construction expert to get it right.

In the UK, building control is typically handled by your local authority, which will assess your conservatory design to ensure it meets building regulations. This usually involves submitting plans and specifications for approval.

Before you start building, it's essential to check if your conservatory requires planning permission. According to the UK government, conservatories are considered permitted development, but this can depend on factors like size, height, and proximity to boundaries.

Conservatories are exempt from building regulations if they meet certain criteria.

A conservatory must be built at ground level and be no bigger than 30 square metres in floor area.

External doors and windows must separate the conservatory from the rest of the house.

A minimum of 50% of the new wall, and 75% of the roof, should be glazed or use translucent material.

The internal floor area has a size limit of no more than 30m2.

Not less than 75% of the roof and 50% of the walls should comprise a translucent material – either glass or polycarbonate sheeting.

Conservatories must be thermally separated from the main house with exterior quality doors (including patio or French doors).

No fixed heating system should be installed – i.e. not linked to your existing central heating system. Portable heaters are acceptable.

You need to check if you live in a listed building or a conservation area, as you may need to apply for building regulations and planning permission to confirm your project can go ahead.

The following conditions may still require building regulations approval:

Planning permission is not always required for a conservatory, but it's essential to understand the rules. Most conservatories are exempt from full planning permission under the Permitted Development Rights.

The Permitted Development Rights have several conditions, including a maximum floor area of 50% of the total floor area of land around the original house.

To be within the Permitted Development Rights, the conservatory must not face a highway if it's at the front or side of the original house.

The height of the conservatory should not exceed 4 meters if it's within two meters of a boundary.

The conservatory must not extend beyond the rear wall of the original house by more than 4 meters (if the house is detached) or 3 meters (for any other type of house).

Here are the main conditions for the Permitted Development Rights:

If you're unsure about the Permitted Development Rights, it's always best to consult your local planning authority.

Design and Construction is a crucial aspect of conservatory building control. A better quality design will have a base wall of cavity masonry construction laid to normal foundation depths.

This ensures the superstructure is fixed properly, unlike a thin concrete slab which can lead to problems with structural movement. I've seen this issue firsthand in older conservatories that were built on a thin concrete slab.

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A well-designed conservatory should incorporate ventilated roof ridges to relieve air pressure and prevent wind uplift that can push out lightweight roof panels. This is a simple but effective detail that can make a big difference in the lifespan of your conservatory.

To avoid any potential problems, it's essential to relocate any flues serving wall-mounted boilers to ensure they're well clear of the building. This might seem like a minor detail, but it can make a big difference in the long run.

Here's a quick checklist to keep in mind:

Design is a crucial aspect of building a conservatory, and there are some key considerations to keep in mind. A better quality design will have base walls of cavity masonry construction laid to normal foundation depths.

This provides a solid foundation for the superstructure, which can help prevent structural movement issues. Thin concrete slabs can be a problem in this regard, so it's best to avoid them.

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Flues serving wall-mounted boilers often clash with conservatory designs, so you may need to relocate the boiler. This ensures that the flue is well clear of the building.

Ventilated roof ridges are essential to relieve air pressure and prevent 'wind uplift' that can push out lightweight roof panels. This is a common issue in conservatory design, so it's worth incorporating this feature.

It's also worth considering the location of your conservatory. Try to avoid building it where it could hamper rescue by ladder in the event of a fire to windows serving upper floors.

When designing and constructing a conservatory, it's essential to consider energy and electrical regulations. Building regulations ensure that extensions are efficient, and your conservatory must comply with energy, electrical, and glazing regulations.

The level of glazing in the roof, windows, and doors of the original home and the conservatory combined cannot exceed 25% of the floor area. This includes the original home and the conservatory, so be sure to calculate and provide these calculations to your local authority building control team.

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Doors and windows must adhere to current U-values, which is a measure of energy efficiency. This means choosing materials that meet these criteria, such as wood, UPVC, or metal glazing.

Glazing in doors and windows must be strengthened, or laminated safety glass, to meet British Standard 6206. This is a crucial safety feature to ensure your conservatory is safe and secure.

Here are the key energy and electrical regulations to keep in mind:

Conservatories can be exempt from building regulations if they meet certain conditions. These conditions include having fixed electrical installations and glazing that comply with building regulations, and external doors and windows that separate the conservatory from the rest of the house.

One key condition is that a minimum of 50% of the new wall and 75% of the roof must be glazed or use translucent material. This is a crucial factor in determining whether a conservatory is exempt.

A conservatory must be built at ground level and have a floor area of no more than 30 square metres to qualify for exemption. This is a strict limit, so it's essential to check the size of your conservatory before construction.

Here are the key conditions for conservatory exemption in a summary table:

Maintenance and repairs to your conservatory are a breeze, as long as you know what you can and can't do without permission. Minor improvements like cleaning and repainting don't require approval.

If you're making structural changes, such as installing new windows or doors, you'll need permission for this. This is because it's considered a significant alteration to your conservatory.

Replacing your conservatory roof can be a great way to improve energy efficiency and extend its lifespan. If your conservatory is nearing the end of its life or becoming too expensive to heat, consider replacing the obsolete translucent roof with a solid one.

Conservatories have traditionally been exempt from building regulations, but this changes when you make significant modifications, such as reducing the proportion of glazing or translucence. If you plan to replace your existing conservatory roof with a traditional timber roof or lightweight composite roof, a Building Regulation application must be submitted.

To ensure your existing foundations can support the new roof loading, trial holes will need to be excavated. This will help assess the existing conservatory foundations and determine if they are suitable for the new roof.

A structural assessment of the existing conservatory framework is also necessary to verify that it can support the new roof loading. If there is no suitable reinforcement in the existing frames, additional reinforcement may need to be installed.

A satisfactory thickness of insulation must be provided in the new roof construction to comply with current building regulations.

You can carry out minor maintenance tasks like cleaning and repainting your conservatory without needing permission.

If you're doing general repairs, you're good to go without applying for approval.

However, if you're installing new windows or doors, you'll need permission for this structural alteration.

This is because changes to these parts of your conservatory are considered significant and require approval.

You can click here to find out if you need planning permission for your project.

A conservatory can be a fantastic addition to your home, but before you start building, it's essential to understand the guidelines and regulations involved.

If you're planning to build a conservatory, it's typically exempt from building regulations if it meets certain conditions. These conditions include a floor area of no more than 30 square metres.

The conservatory must also be built at ground level, with a minimum of 50% of the new wall and 75% of the roof glazed or using translucent material.

To ensure your conservatory is compliant, separate it from your house with external quality walls, doors, or windows.

The glazing and any fixed electrical installations must meet the requirements of the applicable building regulations.

If your conservatory requires building regulations approval, you can apply through your local planning authority.