The whole process of applying for and securing Planning Permission can be quite a headache for property developers and renovators. Not only can the process be long and arduous, but depending on the degree of work that is being proposed, it can also be costly with no guarantees at the end that permission will be granted. It’s a subject that I am often asked about since for the inexperienced developer with grand plans to redevelop a property or build a new one – it can seem a bit of a lottery. Of course, each and every local authority has its own ‘rules’ on what projects they will grant planning permission to and what will need to be amended to fit their local plan. However, there are instances where modifications to a property – and extending it to some degree – do not require Planning Permission. These are alterations made under ‘Permitted Development’ (or Permitted Development Rights) and a knowledge of what is allowed under this legislation is useful.