Internal alterations (permissions)

​​​Planning permission

You will not require planning permission to make internal alterations to your home provided:

• that your property is not registered as a listed building
• the work does not create a separate unit or involve a change of use
• the work does not result in any external change to the building

If you do live in a listed building you may require permission for any alterations depending on the level of grading attached to the property.

Making an application - planning
Is my building or site listed?

Building permission

Building permission is required for:

• new internal walls
• removal of internal walls
• forming an opening in an internal wall

You should take special care before removing internal walls as these might have a number of functions that could affect the building and the safety of occupants

About internal walls

There are typically 2 types of internal walls:

• load bearing - where the wall provides separation between rooms and is also required to transfer loads from other parts of the structure, roof and floors etc, down to the foundations
• non-load bearing - walls that provide separation between rooms and are not required to transfer loads

Creating a new internal wall

You will need to consider the following:

• adequate separation is provided between the new habitable space and the remaining space in terms of fire resistance and thermal insulation
• any door provided in a new wall should have adequate fire resistance and be self-closing
• depending on the use of new habitable rooms, the new separating wall(s) may also need to provide sound insulation

Removing load bearing walls

You will need to consider the following:

• roof - part of the roof structure which would include the ceiling joists within the loft area are sometimes supported from internal walls
• wall above - there is possibility that if another wall sits directly above then it could be supporting that wall
• floor Joists - floor joists are sometimes built into or sitting on top of an internal wall

A structural engineer or surveyor will be able to help you to determine if the wall is load bearing and design a beam to cater for these loads.

Making an application - building