With so many possible property renovations, it can be confusing to keep up with which need planning permission and which don’t. At Safe and Secure Roller Shutters, we’re here to clearly explain the considerations that are taken into account when it comes to needing planning permission for our roller garage doors.

What is planning permission?

When planning on renovating a property, it’s important to fully understand what planning permission means and how to obtain it. Planning permission is approval from your local planning authority that you can start renovations on your property. Applications for planning permission can be done online. Permitted development, on the other hand, is the category of renovations that can be started without any external permission. Unfortunately, planning permission regulations are not that clear cut, as there are a number of factors that contribute towards whether or not you need permission beyond just the type of renovation. For example, installing a new garage door is generally classed as permitted development, however, there are certain circumstances in which installing a garage door may require permission.

Exceptional circumstances

Generally speaking, most property renovations won’t need planning permission so long as they do not change the footprint of the property. This means that replacements and conversions would usually fall under permitted development as they do not resize the physical structure of the property. Installing a new garage door doesn’t change the footprint of the property but there are other things to take into consideration:

• Listed buildings: Listed buildings are buildings of special historical or architectural interest. Any potential renovations on these buildings are going to need special permission. It is unlikely that your property would be categorised as a listed building but you can find a search online of all the listed buildings in the UK.
• Appearance: Installing a new garage door may require planning permission if the appearance of the door is vastly different to the one used in the original construction of the house. This is because unsightly aesthetics can affect the whole neighbourhood and potentially reduce the value of surrounding houses. Our roller garage doors come in a variety of subtle colours and so this likely would not be a problem. However, we do offer bespoke services and when choosing from our wide range of garage doors we recommend choosing a colour similar to the initial door on your garage.
• Neighbours: Renovations may also need planning permission if they intrude on neighbouring houses. Being too close to another house or blocking their view may be determined to be an invasion of privacy and could lead to penalties if undertaken without consent. Luckily, this won’t affect installing any of our garage doors, so you can feel confident in purchasing from us without any sanctions.

Other services

Aside from our fantastic garage doors, we also provide a number of other security doors and features. Our window grilles and steel doors usually won’t need planning permission, however the same rule on aesthetics still apply.

At Safe and Secure Roller Shutters, we’re committed to your protection. We offer a wide range of roller shutter services, including bespoke garage doors to fit any unusual shape or size. Our full selection of top of the range doors and shutters, along with our 24 hour emergency service, ensure your property is always fully secured.