Before You Start Work On Your Property

If you want to carry out any alterations or extensions to your property then you may need to apply for planning permission which should be obtained before any work begins. Certain types of work have ‘permitted development rights’ which may mean that you do not require a separate planning permission from the Council. If you think that you may not need planning permission, you are advised to submit an application for a Certificate of Lawful Development which will confirm whether or not this is the case.

In addition, you have a responsibility to meet the requirements of the Building Regulations which apply to most building work and this is separate from any planning permission you might obtain. Again, the Council administers the Building Regulations and you should check with the Building Control Team before commencing work.

Please contact the Council or look on our planning permission and Building Regulations pages for full details. For planning enquiries telephone 01895-837283 and 01895-837314 or email planning@southbucks.gov.uk, and for building control enquires telephone 01895-837296 or email buildingcontrol@southbucks.gov.uk.

If you start work on alterations or extensions to your property or put up a new building without the necessary checks and permissions, the Council will take enforcement action which in some cases may mean that you have put the building or land back into the condition it was in before the work was carried out, so it is essential to ensure that you have all of the necessary permissions and consents before starting work.