Garage conversion - planning question

hamstercheeks_2

Debt_Free_Chick wrote: »

I think we take "internal works" to mean something that doesn't affect the external appearance

ok but wheeching out the garage door and replacing with a window ths has to be done both internally and externally:rolleyes:

planning_officer

hamstercheeks wrote: »

if replacing the garage door with a window then that changes the look of the building and also the purpose

if no planning permission is required then it's contrary to what i was told by my local council and mine is a new(ish) build. I was told i would have to get both planning permission and a building warrant

Whether something requires planning permission or not depends on whether it is 'development', as defined in Section 55 of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990 - this is national legislation and does not vary from Council to Council.

Part of S55 states that development does not include:
"(a) the carrying out for the maintenance, improvement or other alteration of any building of works which—
(i) affect only the interior of the building, or
(ii) do not materially affect the external appearance of the building."

Therefore, the internal works to carry out a garage conversion do not require planning permission. In terms of external works, usually all that is required is replacing the garage door with a window, and it is widely accepted that this does not materially affect the external appearance - provided it is flush fitting (i.e. not a bay window). If your Council are saying this is development, then in my opinion they are wrong.

The only exception to this is, as I stated above, if a condition was attached to a previous planning permission on the property which states that the garage shall be retained for parking only and not converted. Then, planning permission is required to vary this condition. I can only presume you had such a condition, which meant your garage conversion required planning permission.

And, a garage conversion does not change the use of the garage - the use is residential - both before and after the conversion.

hamstercheeks_2

Glasgow City Council advised me just last week that planning permission would have to be sought and also a building warrant

Debt_Free_Chick

Christ, did someone fire the starting gun in some kind of playground p!$$ing contest?

hamstercheeks_2

Debt_Free_Chick wrote: »

Christ, did someone fire the starting gun in some kind of playground p!$$ing contest?

eh??

planning_officer

Ah, I didn't know you were in Scotland. Whilst my field of expertise is planning in England and Wales, I believe the legislation is different in Scotland, so that may be why you have been given this advice.

Having written the above, I've just done a bit of research and the definition of development in Scotland is exactly the same as it is in England - except that it is defined in Section 26 of the Town and Country Planning (Scotland) Act 1997. Section 26 is exactly the same as Section 55 of the English version that I quoted above (word for word!), so I still think my previous advice was correct, even though you are in Scotland.

eco-friendly_2

Hmmm, garage conversions are listed under 'public notices' frequently, in Scotland.