CareHomeDeskCareHomeDeskPermitted development, full planning applications, and what triggers a requirement for care home planning consent.
Many routine building works at existing care homes are permitted development (PD) -- meaning they can proceed without a full planning application. Permitted development for commercial buildings typically includes: extensions up to 50% of the original floor area (within specified dimensions), installation of satellite dishes, installation of CCTV, some reroofing works. Check the current Town and Country Planning (General Permitted Development) (England) Order 2015 (as amended) or the equivalent in your nation.
Full planning consent is required where PD rights are exceeded or where the local planning authority has removed PD rights (common in conservation areas and Article 4 Direction areas). For care homes, specific works commonly requiring planning consent include: extensions above PD thresholds, change of use of a building to care home use, creation of new vehicular access, installation of EV charging canopies, and any works affecting the external appearance of a listed building.
Before submitting a planning application, use the local planning authority's pre-application advice service. This allows you to discuss the proposal informally with a planning officer, identify any concerns early, and modify the proposal to improve its chances of approval before a formal application is submitted. Pre-application advice is not binding but is usually good value for applications involving any complexity or local sensitivity.
CareHomeDesk gives you compliance checklists, maintenance logs, and contractor management tools built around exactly this kind of knowledge.