My house is located within Kings Gap or Meols Drive Conservation Area and my roof needs replacing. Are there any constraints on what I can or cannot do?
The roof is one of the most important parts of a property as it makes the building wind and watertight and can bring character to an area. Where possible the original roof (such as clay tiles) ridge tiles and hip tiles should be retained and repaired, or replaced on a like-for-like basis. Alternatives can sometime be a poor substitute in quality and appearance for clay tiles and detract from the character of a building.
Owners of unlisted dwelling houses do not normally need to apply for planning permission to re-roof their house or to insert conservation roof lights or skylights.
The new permitted development rules introduced on 1 October 2008 allow for roof alterations without the need for planning permission, subject to the following limits and conditions:
- Any alteration to project no more than 150 millimeters from the existing roof plane.
- No alteration to be higher than the highest part of the roof.
- Side facing windows to be obscure-glazed; any opening to be 1.7m above the floor.
- The permitted development regime for solar panels has different limits on projections and in relation to protected areas.
Please check with a Building Control officer that building regulations are not required. (Tel: 0151 6062115/2513).
