A Certificate of Lawfulness is a formal decision from the local planning authority confirming that a proposed or existing use or development is lawful. It is different from planning permission.
Why homeowners apply
The certificate provides evidence for future sales, remortgaging and confidence before work begins.
What the application needs
Proposed-development applications normally need accurate existing and proposed drawings plus enough information to demonstrate compliance with the relevant permitted-development rules.
Starting work before the decision
Work undertaken before a proposed certificate is granted is at the homeowner’s risk. If the council disagrees with the permitted-development assessment, another approval route may be needed.
Building Regulations are separate
A lawful planning position does not remove the need for Building Regulations approval where the work falls within the regulations.