Do I need planning permission?

Last Updated: 3 April 2024

You’ll probably need planning permission if you want to:

• build something new
• make a major change to your dwelling, for example building an extension
• change the use of your building
• make external changes to a flat or maisonette
• make alterations to a dwelling in Kendal's 'Article 4 Directions' conservation area
• make external alterations to a commercial building

There are some other things you'll need to check to help you decide if you need to make a planning application:

Step by step checklist

1. Check if your project is in our planning area
2. Check if your project is a 'permitted development' and exempt from planning permission
3. Check if your project is in Kendal's 'Article 4 Directions' conservation area 
4. Check If your project needs planning permission on the Planning Portal website
5. Check if you need a 'Lawful Development Certificate for proposed works'
6. Make a planning application

Step 1 - Check your planning area

Large parts of South Lakeland District Council's area are covered by national parks, which have their own planning authorities.

If your development is in a national park then you will need to apply to the park's planning teams, not to us at SLDC:

• Lake District National Park planning
• Yorkshire Dales National Park planning

Find out if your development is in a national park.

1. When the map opens you will see the national parks marked, green for the Lake District and blue for the Yorkshire Dales.
2. In the 'Current Address' field, at the top of the map, enter the address details of the property you want to look at.
3. The map will zoom in on the property and mark it with a 'target' icon.
4. Zoom out on the map using your mouse (or the scrolling tool in the top left hand corner of the map) to see where the property is in relation to the national parks.

Step 2 - Check if your project is a 'permitted development'

You can make some minor changes to your house without applying for planning permission. This is called permitted development. Check if your project is permitted development.

Technical guidance on householder permitted development

There is a Neighbour Notification scheme which is a method of prior approval.

If you wish to build a large extension you must notify us, we will then consult the adjoining neighbours to advise them of your planned development.

If your neighbours raise any concerns or objections, we will decide if their objections reveal any impact on the amenity of the neighbouring properties and whether your plans can go ahead.

This scheme only applies to larger single-storey rear extensions. This means that extensions of over four and up to eight metres for detached houses and over three and up to six metres for all other houses, must go through this process.

Find out more about the Neighbour Notification scheme.

Notification for prior approval for a proposed large home extension guidance (PDF 102KB / 3 pages)

Step 3 - Check if your project is in Kendal Conservation Area

Dwellings within the Kendal conservation area are subject to tighter controls than elsewhere. These controls are called Article 4 Directions.

An Article 4 Direction covers most of the Kendal conservation area. Dwellings within the other conservation areas in our district are not subject to Article 4 Directions.

Planning permission will be needed for the following works to all dwellings (traditional or modern), where the works front onto or are publicly visible from a highway, waterway or open space:

• the alteration or replacement of window frames
• the alteration or replacement of doors or doorways
• the alteration or replacement of stonework and external timbers
• the alteration or replacement of rainwater goods
• the enlargement of a dwelling
• the alteration to a roof
• the erection of a porch
• the installation of a satellite dish/antenna
• the alteration or erection of a gate, wall, fence or railings
• the painting of the external walls (or if already painted, a significant change of colour) of a dwelling or any building or enclosure within the curtilage of a dwelling
• the erection, alteration or removal of a chimney on a dwelling or building within the curtilage of a dwelling

Planning guidance for the replacement of windows and doors in dwellings within the Kendal Conservation Area (Article 4 Direction)

Find out if your development is in an area covered by Kendal's 'Article 4 Directions'

1. When the map opens you will see the Kendal 'Article 4 Directions' boundary marked by a black line.
2. In the 'Current Address' field, at the top of the map, enter the address details of the property you want to look at.
3. The map will zoom in on the property and mark it with a 'target' icon.
4. Zoom out on the map using your mouse (or the scrolling tool in the top left hand corner of the map) to see where the property is in relation to the Kendal Article 4 Direction area.

Step 4 - Check the Planning Portal Website

To help you find out whether you need planning permission:

• Planning Portal: Do you need permission?
• Planning Portal: View the interactive house

Step 5 - Check if you need a 'Lawful Development Certificate for Proposed Works'

If you want to be certain that the work you want to carry out does not need planning permission, you can apply for a 'Lawful Development Certificate for Proposed Works' (LDC).

It’s not compulsory but may be useful if you ever need to confirm that works are lawful under planning legislation.

Apply for an LDC:

Planning Portal online LDC application service

or make a paper based LDC application.

Step 6 - Make a planning application with SLDC

If you think your project needs planning permission you can follow our guide to Making an application.