Do I need planning permission in Surrey?

The short answer

Not every home improvement in Surrey needs a full planning application. Many rear extensions, loft conversions and garage conversions can be done under permitted development (PD): national rules that let you build without applying for planning permission, as long as you stay within set limits.

New dwellings, larger schemes, flats, listed buildings and homes in conservation areas usually need planning permission. The details of your plot (boundaries, height, depth and what neighbours have already built) matter as much as the rules on paper.

What councils in Surrey actually look at

Whether you apply to Waverley, Woking, Guildford or another borough, the same national framework applies, but local policies and neighbourhood character still shape decisions. Design, scale, impact on neighbours and parking are common reasons applications are refined or refused.

That is why a feasibility visit helps before you spend money on drawings. We look at your property on site, check constraints on the map (conservation area, Article 4, trees, access) and tell you honestly: PD, lawful development certificate, prior approval, or full planning.

Common projects and typical routes

Single-storey rear extensions often fall within PD if depth, height and eaves rules are met, but side extensions, wrap-arounds and anything near a boundary need careful checking.

Loft conversions frequently use PD for dormers and roof alterations within volume limits; front-facing changes or mansard roofs usually need permission.

Garage conversions are often PD internally, but if you rebuild the garage or change the footprint, rules change. Outbuildings within size and height limits can be PD; larger garden rooms may not be.

Any new separate dwelling, or splitting a house into flats, requires planning permission in almost all cases.

PD is not a free pass

Even when work is permitted development, we often recommend a lawful development certificate (LDC). It is an application to the council confirming the work is lawful, which is useful when you sell, remortgage or if a neighbour disputes the build later.

Our free planning checker on this site gives an indicative route in under a minute. For certainty, book a free initial visit. We cover Farnham, Woking, Guildford, Godalming and the surrounding towns.