When a client buys a property, they need to know that what stands on the land is lawful — that any extension, conversion or change of use had the right approvals, and that the construction met the required standards. Two separate regimes govern this, and a solicitor must investigate both before contracts are exchanged. Missing a breach can leave your client facing enforcement action, costly remedial works, or a property they cannot resell. This is core, everyday conveyancing work.
This lesson builds your understanding step by step:
- Two Regulatory Systems — how planning law and building regulations differ and what each one controls.
- Planning Permission, Development and Change of Use — when permission is needed, and how use classes affect a change of use.
- Permitted Development and Certificates of Lawfulness — automatic rights, Article 4 Directions, and certificates that confirm lawfulness.
- Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas — the extra controls and consents that apply to protected buildings and areas.
- Duration, Transfer and Section 106 Obligations — time limits, how permission runs with the land, and binding planning obligations.
- Planning Enforcement — what counts as a breach, the time limits, and how authorities enforce.
- Building Regulations — the technical standards, approvals, and certificates that evidence compliance.
- Searches and Options on Discovering a Breach — what the searches reveal and how to advise when something is wrong.