If you want to go deeper than the standard limits — up to 8 metres for a detached house or 6 metres for a semi-detached or terraced house — you may be able to use the Larger Home Extension Scheme. This isn’t automatic: it requires a “prior approval” application to the council, and your neighbours are formally notified and can object on the impact to their amenity.
Side extensions under permitted development must be no more than half the width of the original houseand are subject to height restrictions too.
Once you’ve found the application, you can submit a comment or objection directly through the portal while it’s still open for consultation. Effective objections focus on genuine “material planning considerations” such as loss of light, overlooking, highway safety, or conflict with local plan policy, rather than personal or private matters, which planning officers can’t take into account.
You’ll need a full application if: the extension exceeds the size or height limits above; the property is in a conservation area or is a listed building (Preston has several conservation areas where permitted development rights are more restricted); an Article 4 direction applies (worth checking with Preston City Council or a local surveyor); you want to change the use of the building, not just its size; or a previous extension has already used up some of the permitted development allowance (limits apply cumulatively from the original house, not the current form of the property).
How do I know if my house has already used its permitted development rights?
Allowances are calculated from the property’s original footprint, not its current one. A surveyor can check the planning history for you.
Does permitted development apply to flats?
No, it generally applies to houses only; flats and maisonettes almost always need a full planning application for any extension.
What happens if I build without the correct permission?
The council can take enforcement action requiring you to modify or remove the work, and it can cause serious problems when you come to sell.
Rather than guessing, Wignalls can assess your property and tell you definitively whether your extension needs planning permission, qualifies for the Larger Home Extension Scheme, or would benefit from a Lawful Development Certificate — across Preston and the wider Lancashire area.
© Wignalls Chartered Surveyors 2026
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