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| Planning permission and using your home for work |
- Some small-scale manufacturing and service industries are operated by people working in their own homes, for example the manufacture of craft items and foodstuffs or the carrying out of clothing alterations or repairs. Planning permission is not normally required so long as such activities do not affect the overall domestic character of the building. However, if the non-residential use ceases to be ancillary, because the business has expanded, planning permission will be required for change of use. Indicators that a material change of use has occurred include:
- a significant alteration to the appearance of the dwelling;
- a significant increase in volume of visitors or traffic;
- a significant increase in noise, fumes or smell;
- the installation of special machinery or equipment not normally found in a dwelling; and
- the laying out of rooms in such a way that they could not easily revert to residential use at the end of the working day.
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