What is the process of getting planning permission for a loft conversion?

As we approach the end of 2022, you might be thinking about a new home in 2023, or how you can make improvements to your current home in the new year. Whilst moving homes may well provide you with the extra space you need, you may want to consider how you can expand your existing home with a loft conversion.

On average, a loft conversion can increase the value of your home by up to 20%, whereas a home move comes with the associated moving costs and, in the current property market, may not be the most cost-effective way of increasing your living space.

Whilst most loft conversions don’t require planning permission, there are some exceptions to this which you may have to consider if you are planning on converting your loft in 2023.

When is planning permission required for a loft conversion?

If the following applies to your loft conversion, you will usually require planning permission.

The new roofing adds more than 40m³ of space for terraced houses, or 50m³ on detached and semi-detached houses. It’s worth noting that any previous roof extensions that have been made will count towards this allowance.
The extension is built higher than the highest part of the existing roof.
The extended space goes beyond the plane of the existing roof slope facing the highway.
New roofing materials aren’t either an exact match or very close to the original.
There are raised platforms, balconies, terraces etc.
Dormers or any other extensions (except hip-to-gables) are set back over 200mm from the original eaves.
You have extensions that overhang the outer face of the original wall of the house.

There may be further reasons that require you to obtain planning permission, so we always advise you check your permitted development rights before planning any works.

Additional to the above, If you live in a listed building you will require Listed Building Consent and those living in a designated area, such as Conservation Area, Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty or National Park will usually need to apply for planning permission.

A lot of loft conversions will fall under permitted development rights, meaning you don’t require planning permission. That said, whether you require planning permission or not, you will always require building regulations approval which is a legal requirement. Without approval, your local council may enforce you to make changes to the build and you may also be fined.

Step by Step Guide to obtaining planning permission

Step 1 – Understand If Planning Permission Is Required

Understanding if your loft conversion require planning permission is the first place to start as it could save you making an application altogether if your plans fall under permitted planning.

Planning permission is put in place to stop disruptive or inappropriate development in certain areas. Depending on the type of loft conversion you’re looking for, you may or may not need to follow the additional steps and start the planning permission application process. Speaking with a loft conversion specialist will usually help clear this up fairly quickly.

Step 2 – Contact Your Local Authority’s Planning Department

If your loft conversion is going to require planning permission, it’s advised that you speak with your local authority’s planning department first. This will help understand if your application will be accepted in the first place, potentially saving you time and money. Your local authority’s planning department will also be able to advise on changes you could make to give your application the best chance of being approved.

Step 3 – Submit Your Application With Your Council

Once you’ve spoken to your local council’s planning department and made any required changes to your plans to improve the approval likelihood, the next step is to submit your application for planning permission.

Your application needs be filled in with your local planning authority. The majority of applications for planning and building control are completed online using the Planning Portal.

You will be required to supply supporting information for your building/development project, when submitting your planning application including the following:

The site plan and location.
Evidence of ownership of the property, usually your ownership certificate.
An agricultural holdings certificate if applicable.
The application fee.

Once the appropriate fee has been paid and your application has been submitted, applicants will receive a receipt via email. Fees for applications will vary depending on the details of the application. To get a good idea on what fee you could expect, you can use the Planning Portal fee calculator.

Step 4 – Application Assessment

Once your application has been submitted, the relevant local planning authority will assess your application. The outcome of your application is based on a number of factors including but not limited to, the following:

Loss of privacy
Noise levels
The impact of listed buildings
The appearance and materials included in the design
Government policy
Nature conservation
Highway safety
Previous planning decisions

In England and Wales, residents neighbouring the property may be contacted regarding an application’s plans for development. Objections to plans will only be considered when in-line with material considerations such as those listed above.

Step 5 – The Decision

After considering and assessing the application, a decision will be made. If approved, developments detailed in the application can proceed. If an application is rejected, it’s vital that works are not carried out to avoid any enforcements as previously mentioned.

If your application for planning permission is rejected, you reserve the right to appeal if you feel the decision is incorrect. The appeal process can be both costly and lengthy, so we’d advise speaking to a professional regarding the matter before deciding on whether to appeal or not.

If you’re thinking about a loft conversion in 2023 and want help understanding whether you’ll require planning permission or not, feel free to get in touch for a no obligation chat.

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      EXCELLENT  
   Based on 403 reviews 
    
 
 
 
   
 
 
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   Henry 
 6 October 2026
 
 
  We recently had a rear dormer completed by The Loft Room, which also involved lowering the ceilings throughout the first floor.

The efficiency and quality of the work carried out are the main reasons we’ve given five stars. We felt the administrative and communications side of the process could have been better, but ultimately the most important thing for us was the quality of the build, and in that respect we were extremely happy.

The team on site were excellent and always treated the house as our home rather than simply a building site. They were respectful, tidy and a pleasure to have around throughout the project.

Dragos has been a joy to work with and brought a huge amount of calm, experience and knowledge to the project. Lulian, on site, was the ultimate professional. Nothing was ever too much trouble, and the quality of his workmanship was excellent.

Overall, we’re really pleased with the end result and wouldn’t hesitate to recommend The Loft Room based on the quality of the work and the team we had on site.
  
 
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   Ruth Gibbons O'Brien 
 2 October 2026
 
 
  We are so happy with our new loft space and have been really impressed with The Loft Room from start to finish.

Communication throughout the project has been excellent. Marius and his team worked incredibly hard to meet deadlines while taking great care and pride in their work. Helen in the office, along with Marius, were always on hand to keep us updated on progress and talk us through the different choices and options available.

It was also really helpful having a clear contract in place detailing exactly what was included in the agreed costs. This made budgeting much easier and meant there were no unexpected or surprise costs along the way.

We can’t wait for the final touches to be completed so we can start enjoying our family’s new space. Thank you to the whole team for all your hard work — we’re really happy with the result!
  
 
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   Alex Moon 
 28 September 2026
 
 
  The loft room team were great. John was very respectful, and kept us informed on progress. Going the extra mile to make our new space amazing. They really managed to maximise the floor space to create a great sized master bed and en-suite.
  
 
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   Calum Millar 
 26 September 2026
 
 
  Recently had a dormer loft conversion completed by Ash and Alfie of The Loftroom.

From design all the way through to finishing the construction the team have been great. Quality of the work is outstanding, kept informed and updated all throughout the build, and always consulted about the specifics.

Highly recommend.
  
 
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   Chris Talbot 
 25 September 2026
 
 
  We are delighted with our new loft conversion by The Loft Room. The whole process went incredibly smoothly, from the planning stage all the way through to decorating.

A huge thank you to Vio, who led the team on our project. Vio and the team’s hard work and dedication has transformed our house. Vio kept everything running on track, maintained a high standard of work, and was always a pleasure to deal with. He and his team treated our home with respect and made sure the details were done right. And also, a special mention to all in the office whose excellent communication kept us in the loop throughout.

We would heartily recommend The Loft Room to anyone looking to do a loft conversion. Thanks guys!
  
 
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   Sarah Lister 
 22 September 2026
 
 
  We are delighted with our new loft space! Our team leader, Mihai, was fantastic and kept us informed about progress throughout. Everyone who came to work on the space was friendly and communicative, and gave us advice about what might work best.
Together, the team created a superb space with two bedrooms and a bathroom which are all spacious and finished to a very high standard. Mihai took time to make sure that everything was finished as we wanted it to be and went the extra mile to ensure downstairs where they had broken through was finished and integrated with the existing decor.
The office team at The Loft Room were very helpful in keeping us up to date and checking in to make sure that we were happy with how everything was going. It made such a difference using a company who do loft conversions day in day out as it meant that everything ran smoothly, the project was managed for us and the build ran to the time scale presented to us from the start.
We would highly recommend The Loft Room to anyone who is thinking about creating a new space.
  
 
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   Simon Newell 
 15 September 2026
 
 
  We honestly couldn't recommend The Loft Room highly enough.

Our relationship with them actually started around three years ago when they first came out to quote for our loft conversion. We weren't ready to go ahead at the time, but when we finally decided to push the button this year, The Loft Room were still the company we wanted to use – and we're incredibly pleased that we did.

This was a significant project, creating an entirely new top floor with two bedrooms and two en-suites, all while we continued living in the house as a large family.

From the very beginning, The Loft Room had a genuinely friendly, family-company feel. Everyone we dealt with seemed to care about the project and about making sure we were happy, and they were very conscious throughout that this wasn't just a building site – it was still our family home.

A very special mention has to go to Jamie and Jared, who carried out the build. They were absolutely fantastic. They worked incredibly hard, were friendly, considerate and easy to have around, and we built a really good relationship with them over the course of the project.

Jamie's workmanship and experience were obvious from the start. He constantly kept us involved, asked questions rather than making assumptions and made sure we were happy with how things were progressing. Communication was excellent throughout.

With any building project of this size there are inevitably going to be challenges, changes or occasional delays. For us, the important thing was how these were dealt with. Jamie was always upfront, explained what was happening and kept us updated, so there were never any nasty surprises. If something needed sorting, it was sorted.

That made a huge difference, particularly as I work from home and we were living through the entire build as a family. Jamie and Gared were incredibly respectful of that and did everything they could to minimise the disruption.

Most importantly, we absolutely love what they've created. Turning what was previously unused loft space into two fantastic bedrooms and two en-suites has completely transformed the house. The quality of the workmanship is excellent and, looking at the finished result, we feel we've had really good value for what was a major investment in our home.

It probably says everything about our experience that after months of having Jamie and Jared here every day, we actually miss having them around! I work from home, so it's genuinely strange not having the daily chats anymore.

A really positive experience from the first conversation three years ago right through to completion. We'd happily recommend The Loft Room to anyone considering a loft conversion.

A huge thank you to the whole team – and particularly Jamie and Jared – for everything you've done for us.
  
 
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   Ben Chadwick 
 22 August 2026
 
 
  We have just had our loft completed by the loft room. They were really easy to work with, took care of all the paperwork. They were great at communicating all the stages and their response time was excellent. Adrian was our builder and he was fantastic. Super thorough, reliable, fast, tidy and often gave us suggestions when we were unsure. The whole project was finished in about 6weeks! We wouldn’t hesitate to recommend The Loft Room to anyone. Many thanks!
  
 
     Posted on Google  
   
   Ken O'Neill 
 19 August 2026
 
 
  We are so happy we decided to go ahead with The Loft Room. Everyone we met from our initial consultation with Paul to Lulian and his team and Helen and Melissa in the office have been great. We were especially impressed with the hard work of Lulian and his team even through the heatwave. They were friendly and professional and always ready to answer any questions we had. Thanks to Lulian for suggesting bigger Velux windows - they are amazing! All the trades involved were great - we will definitely use them again in the future. The work was completed on time and we are really happy with it. We would certainly recommend The Loft Room.

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