Do Shutters Need Planning Permission?
One of our most asked questions at The Bespoke Shutter Company is whether you need planning permission to have any plantation shutters installed – whether you live in London, Essex, Hertfordshire or elsewhere in the UK.
The basic answer is ‘no’, but there are some exceptions where it would be worthwhile contacting local planning authorities to check. Here we explain the picture in more detail.
Internal or External?
We specialise in interior shutters, so if you don’t live in a listed building or conservation area, then you do not require planning permission for one of our made-to-measure products.
However, anything which alters the external appearance of a property – that is, is actually fixed to the outside of the home or business – is likely to need approval by local planning authorities. For example, roller shutters on shop fronts would usually require a formal application (although this is a type of shutter which we don’t supply and install ourselves.)
Listed Building or Conservation Area?
Listed buildings are defined by Historic England as ‘buildings of special architectural or historic interest with legal protection.’ Conservation areas have the same definition, but this applies to a street, neighbourhood, or area rather than just one building.
Generally, listed buildings have tighter protections and controls compared to those in a conservation area. The official register of Listed Buildings across the UK currently has 370,000 entries, some of which are multiple properties, such as a row of terraced houses.
If you live in a listed property, then you may need to seek special listed building consent to install any shutters; and if you live in a conservation area you should check if any ‘Article 4 Directions’ apply to your home.
These remove or restrict the amount of work you are allowed to carry out on your home without needing to seek planning permission and are known as permitted development rights. You need to be particularly careful if you live in a National Park or an Area Outstanding Natural Beauty as these rights are even more tightly restricted; and the rights also cover areas such as extensions and conservatories (even if you don’t live in one of the types of areas or properties listed above.)
So seeking appropriate permission is imperative in eliminating any problems later down the line that improper installation may incur. However, provided that you talk to the relevant authorities at an early stage, and that any alterations – including the installation of any shutters – are carried out sympathetically and in line with the existing characteristics of the building or area, then you shouldn’t have any problems.
Plantation Shutters in London from The Bespoke Shutter Company
Adding shutters to an extension or conservatory are desirable for both privacy and retaining heat within the home, in addition to enhancing the style of your space. For more details on this, check out our previous blog post here.
At The Bespoke Shutter Company, we can supply and install full-length, solid, shaped, or café-style shutters to your home or businesses in London, Hertfordshire and Essex. If your windows are an irregular shape then don't worry - all of our shutters are made to measure. So far, there has been no window that has defeated us!
If you are at all worried about matching existing colours in your property, then we have a wide range of shades and colours available here to avoid any issues with local planning authorities. Each of our shutter ranges also come with their own individual colour options.
If you would like to book a free no-obligation consultation, or would simply like to know more, follow the link here. Alternatively, you can also call us on 020 3131 3155.
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