Do I need planning permission to change/replace my windows/doors?

The Surprising Complexity of Changing Windows and Doors

For most homeowners, replacing windows and doors is a maintenance job, not a major project. However, from a planning perspective, it can have a significant impact on a property's character and the wider area. This is why a simple swap can sometimes require formal consent. Getting it wrong can lead to enforcement action from your local council, forcing you to reverse the changes at your own cost.

• TL;DR: Quick Checklist

  • A direct, like-for-like replacement of windows or doors on a typical house generally does not need planning permission.

  • This falls under Permitted Development (PD) rights.

  • Your PD rights are restricted or removed entirely if you live in a listed building, a Conservation Area, or an area under an Article 4 Direction.

  • Creating a new window or door opening is a different matter and has its own set of rules.

The Default Position: Permitted Development Rights

For a typical house (not a flat, and not in a designated area), your Permitted Development rights allow you to carry out improvements and alterations. The replacement of windows and doors falls within this, provided the new ones are of a similar appearance to those being replaced.

This "similar appearance" clause is where ambiguity can arise. A change in colour or a minor change in the glazing bar pattern might be acceptable. However, a significant change in style or material, such as replacing traditional timber sash windows with modern uPVC casement windows, could be deemed to fall outside these rights, even on a regular property. The safer your project is, the more similar the replacement is.

Crucial Exception 1: Listed Buildings

If your property is a listed building (Grade I, II*, or II), you operate under a completely different set of rules. All works, both external and internal, that could affect the building's special historic or architectural character require Listed Building Consent.

This absolutely includes changing windows and doors. Replacing original windows, even with identical-looking new ones, will almost certainly require consent. The focus will be on repair first, and replacement only as a last resort, often demanding specialist joinery and materials to match the original exactly. Unauthorised changes to a listed building are a criminal offence.

Crucial Exception 2: Conservation Areas

A Conservation Area is an area of special architectural or historic interest. If you live in one, your PD rights are automatically more restricted to prevent the erosion of the area's character. While some like-for-like replacements might still be possible, councils are very keen to retain features like traditional timber sash windows.

Many councils reinforce this control by issuing an Article 4 Direction for the area.

Crucial Exception 3: Article 4 Directions

An Article 4 Direction is a tool used by a Local Planning Authority to remove specific Permitted Development rights in a designated area. They are commonly used in Conservation Areas to control minor alterations that, cumulatively, could harm the area's appearance.

This often includes the right to change windows and doors. If your property is covered by an Article 4 Direction, you will need to submit a full planning application for almost any change, including replacing timber with uPVC. You must check your local council's website to see if your property is affected.

What About Creating a New Opening?

Creating a completely new window or door opening is not considered a replacement or maintenance. It is an alteration that falls under different PD rules.

Under permitted development, you can install new windows or doors, but there are important limitations:

• New windows on the upper floors of the side elevation of your house must be obscure-glazed.

• Any upper-floor side window must also be non-opening, unless the parts which can be opened are more than 1.7 metres above the floor of the room in which it is installed.

• These rights may also be removed by an Article 4 Direction or in a designated area.

A Note on Flats and Maisonettes

It is a common misconception that flats and maisonettes have the same rights as houses. They do not. Generally, there are no Permitted Development rights for works such as the replacement of windows in a flat. You will likely need to apply for full planning permission for any material alteration.