Development Control

Article 3 of the Town and Country Planning (General Permitted Development Order) 1995 (GPDO) and subsequent amendments provides a general planning permission (known as 'permitted development rights') for certain types of minor development.  This allows those types of development to proceed without the need to submit a planning application.

The most commonly available permitted development rights relate to houses.  The GPDO permits householders to undertake alterations, minor extensions as well as erect buildings and structures without planning permission in certain circumstances.  Schedule 2 of the GPDO specifies all the different types of permitted development rights and the various limitations which apply.

Local planning authorities can remove permitted development rights.  These can for example require any small extensions or conservatories to need permission.

Permitted development relating to agriculture and telecommunications apparatus can be subject to a condition requiring the prior approval of the local planning authority to the siting and appearance of these works.

These rights are generally more restrictive in the case of Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas.

Special Restrictions on Permitted Development (Article 4 (2) Directions)

There are eight conservation areas in Hartlepool

• Park Conservation Area
• Headland Conservation Area
• Seaton Carew Conservation Area
• Greatham Conservation Area
• Elwick Conservation Area
• Church Street Conservation Area
• Stranton Conservation Area
• Grange Conservation Area

In some cases minor changes to properties in these areas require planning permission.  This includes for example:-

• The enlargement, improvement or other alteration of a house or a building within the curtilage of a house
• The erection, alteration or removal of a chimney on a house
• The alteration of a roof to a house
• The painting of a house or a building or enclosure within the curtilage of the house.

The rules about what you can and cannot build without planning permission are difficult to interpret, that is why we offer a planning advisory service, the One Stop Shop.

Alternatively you could contact the Planning Services Team:

Tel: 01429 284317

email: developmentcontrol@hartlepool.gov.uk 

or the Conservation Officer:

Tel:  01429 523275

email: landscape.planning@hartlepool.gov.uk

Both can be contacted at:

Bryan Hanson House
Hanson Square
Hartlepool
TS24 7BT

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