Redcar & Cleveland Council · Planning guidance · Updated June 2026
Planning permission for house extensions in Redcar & Cleveland — what you need to know
A practical guide to how Redcar & Cleveland Borough Council assesses householder planning applications — including Local Plan policies SD3 and SD4, the free pre-application advice service, conservation areas across Guisborough, Saltburn, and Staithes, and what the council looks for when deciding extension applications.
Architectural Designer Redcar
Redcar & Cleveland Council planning permission for house extensions: householder applications are determined within 8 weeks of a valid submission. Applications are assessed against Local Plan policies SD3 (Design) and SD4 (General Development Principles), supported by the Residential Extensions and Alterations SPD. Pre-application advice is currently free of charge.
Redcar & Cleveland Borough Council covers a varied geographical area — from the coastal towns of Redcar, Marske, Saltburn, and Staithes, through the market town of Guisborough, to the rural villages of East Cleveland and the fringes of the North York Moors National Park. This variety matters for planning: the same extension that would be approved without question in a standard residential street in Redcar or New Marske may require more detailed justification in a conservation area in Staithes or a village setting on the edge of the Moors.
Case Study: New Build Dwelling Saltburn Architectural Planning Drawings | Building Regulations Drawings | Residential Design | Planning & Construction Plans
The two Local Plan policies that govern your extension application
Redcar & Cleveland Council’s planning officers assess householder extension applications primarily against two policies from the Redcar and Cleveland Local Plan, alongside the national Permitted Development rules and the NPPF.
Policies SD3 and SD4 — what they mean for your extension
Policy SD3 — Design: Requires all development to be of high quality design that respects and enhances the character and appearance of the local area. For house extensions, this means the design, scale, and materials must be appropriate for the existing house and the surrounding street. Extensions that are out of character with the area — through inappropriate scale, materials, or design — will be refused under SD3.
Policy SD4 — General Development Principles: Sets out the general principles all development must meet, including: no significant adverse impact on neighbour amenity (light, outlook, privacy); acceptable highway safety; resistance to crime; and flood risk considerations where relevant. Both SD3 and SD4 must be satisfied for an application to be approved — the council will not approve an extension that meets design standards but causes unacceptable neighbour impact, or vice versa.
What satisfies SD3 & SD4
- Matching or complementary materials to the existing house
- Scale subordinate to the original building
- No significant loss of light to neighbouring windows
- Upper-floor side windows obscure glazed
- No unacceptable overlooking of neighbouring gardens
- Extension does not dominate the street scene
Common reasons for refusal
- Materials that don’t match the host dwelling
- Two storey side extensions creating a terracing effect
- Loss of light assessed against the 45-degree rule
- Overlooking from new first-floor rear windows
- Extension out of keeping with the character of the street
- Insufficient parking retained after extension
What Redcar & Cleveland’s planning officers look at
Beyond the two headline policies, these are the specific factors planning officers weigh when assessing householder extension applications in Redcar & Cleveland.
Residential amenity — light and outlook
The impact on neighbouring properties’ daylight and sunlight is assessed carefully. The 45-degree rule is applied — an extension that takes a significant portion of daylight to a neighbouring window at 45 degrees from its centre will face objection. This is particularly relevant for two storey rear extensions on properties with close neighbours.
Privacy and overlooking
New windows at first floor level that would overlook neighbouring gardens or habitable rooms require justification. Obscure glazing to side-facing upper windows is required under Permitted Development and expected even where full planning is needed. The council assesses both direct overlooking and oblique views.
Design and character — SD3
The Redcar & Cleveland area has varied housing character — from Victorian terraces in Redcar town centre to 1970s estates in Guisborough and coastal cottages in Staithes. The appropriate design response differs significantly between these contexts. Officers expect applicants to understand and respond to the local character rather than applying a generic design.
Scale and massing
Extensions must be visually subordinate to the existing house. On semi-detached properties in particular, two storey side extensions are scrutinised for the “terracing effect” — where an extension effectively makes a pair of semis look like a terrace, changing the character of the street. Redcar & Cleveland officers are experienced in applying this test.
Coastal and landscape setting
Properties close to the coastline or on the edges of settlements visible from the North York Moors National Park are assessed with greater sensitivity. Extensions that would be visible on the skyline or that use materials inappropriate to a coastal or rural context are viewed with particular scrutiny in these locations.
Successive extensions
Redcar & Cleveland Council considers the cumulative impact of extensions. A property that has already been significantly extended may face a more difficult assessment for further extension work, even if the individual proposal appears reasonable in isolation. We flag this risk during the free consultation based on what we can establish from site survey and planning history.
Conservation areas in Redcar & Cleveland — what changes for extensions
Redcar & Cleveland has a significant number of conservation areas, many in its historic coastal villages and market towns. Properties within these areas face tighter planning controls, and Permitted Development rights for some types of work are removed.
Where the rules are tighter
Staithes: One of the most sensitive conservation areas in the north-east of England. The historic fishing village character is strictly protected. Extensions must use traditional materials — stone and pantile are typical — and modern materials are rarely approved. Any visible external alteration requires a carefully argued application.
Guisborough town centre: The historic market town conservation area includes the Priory setting and the main street. Extensions in this area are assessed against the historic character of the market town, with particular attention to materials, fenestration, and roof form.
Saltburn-by-the-Sea: The Victorian planned seaside town layout is a designated conservation area. The uniform Victorian character — bay windows, slate roofs, brick detailing — must be respected in any extension proposal. Roof form and materials are particularly important.
Skelton, Loftus, and East Cleveland villages: Several smaller conservation areas exist across the East Cleveland villages. Each has its own character appraisal. We recommend checking the Redcar & Cleveland conservation area map before starting any design work on a village property.
In conservation areas — PD rights affected
- In conservation areas — PD rights affected
- Side extensions always require full planning permission
- Roof alterations visible from the road need planning permission
- Full planning required regardless of extension size in most cases
- Materials must preserve or enhance the conservation area character
Extension drawings for Redcar & Cleveland Council submissions
We prepare planning drawings and applications for all areas within Redcar & Cleveland Borough Council’s jurisdiction.
