# Planning permission for converting garage



## CBGB (24 Sep 2010)

I've seen a few posts on whether planning is needed for converting a garage into a living space so thought  I'ld stick some up to date info for reference. 

Our house is semiD with a garage attached to it. Was looking to convert to living space, raplce the flat roof with pitched and the garage door with a window. 

According to Fingal CoCo this would be fine without planning except for the changing the roof bit. Going from the flat roof to pitched means the job is not exempt. 

good job I checked as the builder I had in quoting said "Dont be daft. I'm doing these allt he time and you DONT need planning permission for it!"


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## picorette (24 Sep 2010)

Correct, CBGB, although I have seen plenty of houses where what you describe has been carried out without planning permission. However, as you say, legally you do need planning permission because of the change in roof profile. 

The solution for you to avail of exemption would be to keep the flat roof, thus not changing the roof profile.


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## onq (24 Sep 2010)

Thanks CBGB

Builders are tradesmen, not design professionals and they will only certify their work - if you press them - in relation to it being in compliance with the Building Regulations, but not with planning permission.
They seldom offer a good "after sales" service unless you hold significant retention on them and at the moment they are all scrabbling around for crumbs to keep them going.
The last thing any of them want to contempate is a delay due to a planning application.

For the price of a phone call to your local planning officer you have found out the true position - well done.
Basically, anything that isn't specifically called up in the exempted development schedule cannot be assumed to be exempted.
Even where all the basic factors are right, there are many other issues which mean the exempted development schedule might still not apply; -


protected structure status
being in an architectural conservation area
being part of a listed view, etc.
Its great to see posters like yourself actually reading the advice and empowering yourself to act and check it.
This is a good attitude to have even if you *do* retain a building professional to advice you - it keeps us on our toes!

ONQ.

[broken link removed]

All advice on AAM is remote from the situation and cannot be relied upon              as a defence or support - in and of itself - should legal      action    be      taken.
Competent legal and building professionals should be asked to advise in              Real Life with rights to inspect and issue reports on the      matters    at      hand.


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## RKQ (25 Sep 2010)

picorette said:


> Correct, CBGB....
> The solution for you to avail of exemption would be to keep the flat roof, thus not changing the roof profile.


 
Agree 100%. Some good advice above.

The Exemptions help to free up the planning process, removing simple extensions / conversions from the application process. A "change of use" means exactly as it says on the tin - change of USE with no changes to the structure, no change in height, area or materials etc. No new opes (converting a garage door to a window is a minor change and considered acceptable)

As CBGB wants to change the roof, the pitched roof may affect a neighbour or the look of the whole streetscape, therefore full planning permission is required.


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