03/02/2026
Getting planning approval can be difficult at times. We love a challenge!
There’s nothing quite like the feeling of being granted planning permission for your self build or home extension project, especially if the process has been long and painful. But remember that almost all approvals come with conditions – sometimes a rather long list of them.
It is important to prepare for conditions as part of the planning application process. Unexpected terms will delay your build if you need to discharge them before you start construction and can derail it entirely if they place obligations on you that you weren’t expecting and had not budgeted for. Ignoring problematic stipulations can be tempting, but not a good idea – breaching a condition leaves you open to enforcement action, putting your whole development at risk.
So, what exactly are planning conditions and what do they mean for your self build or extension project? Over on our website, planning expert Martin Gaine investigates how to avoid, manage, remove and discharge important stipulations from the council. Click here to read now: https://ow.ly/WpFh50Y3LLv
📷: Jonathan and Joanna Lunn left city life behind to build their own contemporary home on a stunning woodland site in the South Downs National Park. The couple also had to pay for ecology surveys as part of the planning process. “There was evidence of bats in the roof of the existing dwelling and, although there weren’t any in the end, our planning conditions required us to build bat boxes into the fascia of the house to accommodate them in future,” adds Jonathan. Photo: Baufritz
