Planning consent relates to changes in the aesthetics or use of buildings, such as an extension to a house or conversion of a house into apartments. It’s the local planning authority that will control development in your area, and are responsible for deciding whether a development can go ahead. Planning should not be confused with building regulations, they are entirely separate. Planning can be one of the main hurdles to clear when thinking about making changes to your property, and needs to be given consideration from the start. Planning policies do change. Some works can be considered ‘permitted development’ or ‘prior approval’.