Do You Need Planning Permission for a Garage Door?
When making changes or renovations to your home, sometimes you may require planning permission to ensure your alterations are lawful. But what about if you’re just replacing a garage door or installing a new one?
Will I need planning permission for a new garage door?
In general, you will not require planning permission to install a garage door or change the style of door – it’s commonly viewed as a permitted development. That’s because garage doors don’t generally change the footprint of the building or enlarge a building in any way.
However, there are a few exceptions to the rule, and you may need to investigate if you need planning permission for a garage door if:
- The appearance of the door is vastly different from the original: If you’re opting for a new style of garage door which is very different from the original door or the overall style of the neighbourhood, then this may require planning permission. That’s because the aesthetics of the new door could affect the aesthetics of the entire neighbourhood, which in turn could have a negative effect on house prices for your street. This might be especially worth checking in areas that are new housing developments.
- It’s being installed on a listed building: Listed buildings will have special protection because they are of architectural or historic interest, meaning that any alterations may require listed building consent. Unsure if your home is a listed building? Simply got onto Historic England Online to search their database – Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland also have their own online dedicated databases, which a quick online search will reveal.
- The building is located in a conservation area: The purpose of a conservation area is to protect a locale’s historical, architectural interest and overall uniqueness. If you’re unsure whether you live within a conservation area, check with your local planning authority. If you do, there may be restrictions in place concerning what changes you can make to your home, called Article 4 Directions. These will differ depending on the specific conservation area and what elements the council wants to protect. This may influence whether you can install or replace a garage door, and what type of garage door may be allowed – the only way to find out for sure is to ask the local planning authority before getting any work done.
How do I check if planning permission is needed?
Although in most cases, garage doors don’t require planning permission, failure to obtain planning permission in the special cases when they do could result in you being served with an enforcement notice – essentially ordering you to reverse the changes you’ve made. This is both costly and inconvenient.
If in doubt, run your plans by your local planning authority to ensure your new garage door is completely lawful. If your project does require planning permission, you may be directed to fill out an online application for planning permission.
Here at Doormatic, we provide high-quality doors to suit all tastes and requirements. Whatever style you’re seeking for your home or business, we have a wide range of customisable doors, made to measure for your property. Find out more by getting in touch with our friendly team – we serve customers across the South East, including London and Surrey.
