Certificate of Lawfulness

We were approached by residents who would live in a terrace of grand Victorian properties (built as one dwelling but subdivided into four in the 1950s).  The central property was for sale and the neighbours either side wished to purchase it and subdivide it so they gain half each to enlarge their dwellings.

We argued that the proposal would not constitute development as the scheme would only require alterations to the interior of the building, and would not affect the external appearance of the building. Both current dwellings and the proposed composite dwellings fall within the same use class.

The Planning Officer agreed, concluding: “The proposed reconfiguration of the internal layout to amalgamate the existing three dwellings, creating two 6 bed dwellings, would not amount to operational development under Section 55 (2) (a) (i) or (a) (ii), or amount to any material change of use under Section 55 (3) (a) of The Town and Country Planning Act 1990 (as amended).”

Successful Certificate of Lawfulness to determine whether the replacement of garage door with window is lawful.

Success – Approved within 8 weeks.

Application for a Certificate of Lawfulness to determine whether the existing use as a residential dwelling is lawful. In support of the application we submitted numerous documents evidencing the continual use of the property in the four years leading up to the application.

Certificate of Lawfulness was granted within five weeks.