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Do I need planning permission for my project?

This is usually the first question anyone asks before starting a building project, and the honest answer is that it depends on the specific project, the specific property, and sometimes the specific street. Here is how to think about it before you get a definitive answer.

Permitted development covers a lot, but not everything

Many single-storey rear extensions, loft conversions and outbuildings fall under permitted development rights, meaning they can proceed without a full planning application, provided they stay within specific size, height and position limits set nationally. The limits are genuinely detailed (how far the extension projects, how close to a boundary, what happens with side extensions) and easy to misjudge from a general online guide.

Conservation areas and listed buildings change the picture

Inside the Sandwich conservation area, and on listed buildings anywhere in the district, permitted development rights are more restricted or removed entirely, and even minor visible changes can need planning permission or listed building consent. If your property is in the old town or is a listed building anywhere in the area, assume you need to check formally rather than relying on general permitted development guidance.

Article 4 directions

Some areas have an Article 4 direction in place, which removes specific permitted development rights that would otherwise apply, often to protect the character of a conservation area. Worth checking with Dover District Council specifically for your property rather than assuming national permitted development rules apply unmodified.

What we do at quote stage

Working through whether a project is likely to need planning permission, and what that means for timeline, is part of how we scope a project from the first site visit. We are not a planning consultancy and do not submit applications ourselves, but we will tell you honestly what we think the position is and point you to a planning professional where one is genuinely needed.

The safe default

If you are not certain, a free pre-application enquiry or a lawful development certificate from the council gives you a definitive answer before you commit to a design, which is worth the small delay compared with finding out partway through a project that consent is required.