Must You Get Planning Permission For A Solid Roof?

Almost all of us are restricted to the indoors at the moment as we try to halt the spread of the Coronavirus. Spending more time can help you spot things that you might otherwise not notice, such as a noticeable chill in your conservatory, which you could resolve once things are back to normal with a solid roof installation. 

These lightweight roofing systems come in slate and tiled form and can be used as a replacement roof covering to restore thermal efficiency in home extensions. 

But you shouldn’t have one fitted until you are certain if it needs planning permission or not. 

We know planning rules really well, so we can tell you what’s what:

• To switch from a traditional glass or polycarbonate translucent roof to a solid roof, you will have to get Building Regulatory Approval. The roofing services Urbandale IA is the one you can consult in case you want to have your roof checked.

• To improve your chances of receiving Building Regulatory Approval, it is recommended that you opt for an approved solid roofing system, one that has been endorsed by Local Authority Building Control (LABC) and acknowledged as a safe and suitable building product. Even an approved system may need modifying in some way to comply e.g. incorporating roof and trickle vents.

• Upgrading to a solid roof will cause what is known as a “change of use” as you will be changing what was previously considered to be a temporary extension into a permanent extension. With a “change of use” comes the need for planning permission. 

• If you had to get planning approval to have the conservatory built in the first place and it has a translucent roof, you must make a planning application and full building regulations application. 

• Was the conservatory built under Permitted Development Rights? These Permitted Development Rights are removed if you have a solid roof installed and you will have to apply for planning permission first. 

If you are in any doubt at all, it’s best to speak to your local authority building control team. You can get their details on the LABC website. 

Planet is still available for assistance too. Book a FREE Online Design Appointment to talk to us about solid roofs.