Things t.m.y.g. Hmmmmm. Planning, Forms & Permits. Permis Construire

Planning Permission for building, renovating or converting property in France, what it is and how to apply for it. This part of our look at planning regulations since October 2007 takes a look at the Permis Construire. Some of the forms retain the same name as the previous ones, however, all have been altered and only the new forms are now acceptable. Part 3.

Permis de Construire 

Planning Application for Building Permit

The Permis de Construire is the main instrument of planning control. There are two permits:
1. for an individual house and annexes (Permis de construire maison et/ou ses annexes)
2. for general purpose (Permis de construire generale)

Architects and the Permis de Construire

An architect is required to submit any Permis de construire. The law states that a request for a building permit (Permis de construire) cannot be investigated unless a qualified registered architect has “established the architectural project”, that is, prepared the plans and written documents, shown site plans, volume and layout, sections, and elevation treatment, as well as choice of materials. Note: The exception to this is: an individual submitting an application on their own property if on completion it has a SHON of 170 m² or less. An individual house application is the exception to the law and in all commercial and other projects an architect will be required, regardless of the size of project, a Permis de construire is required.

Permis de construire maison et/ou ses annexes (Planning application house & annexes)

The new Permis de construire maison et/ou ses annexes takes into account the possibility for the applicant to have a principal residence outside of France and an architect or third party can be sent all the correspondence instead of the applicant. There are specific boxes for swimming pool, garage, conservatory and garden shed on the application form together with a demolitions section (a separate demolitions permit is not needed). It allows for the correspondence to be sent to either a future purchaser or neighbour if external works affect their property. Correspondence between the planning department can now be by e-mail and drawings may be submitted as PDFs. As part of the reforms the details and registration numbers of the architect is now required together with their signature. There is a greater crackdown on architects signing other peoples drawings (an architect is suspended for three months, the client’s permit is revoked and the author of the drawings working commercially is usually fined).

Conseils d’Architecture, d’Urbanisme et d’Environnement (CAUE)

A person who submits the application themselves could go to the local  (CAUE) prior to submitting the application for advice on the architectural content of the project; there is no compulsion to do this. It is free and will engage the authories at the outset in a positive way. Their role is to advise. It is not usual for them to become involved in planning applications as a matter of course, only at the request of the local Mairie and/or the person asking for permission.

When to use the Permis de construire maison et/ou ses annexes

Constructions that creates over 40m² SHOB gross floor area
The work that modifies a load bearing structure/wall or the building façade when accompanied with a change of use of an auxiliary section of a building so that the whole building has the same usage
Work that modifies the volume of a building and that creates a new opening or increases the size of an existing opening in an exterior wall
Swimming pools less than 1.8m deep and over 100m²
All swimming pools over 1.8m deep

Dossier consists of:

Site Plan scale 1:5000 or 1:10000 that identifies the land within the commune
Plan Cadastrale 1:2000/1000
Site Plan scale 1:500 of the property existing and proposed
Floor plans scale 1:100 of the existing building if applicable, dimensioned
All elevations scale 1:100 of the existing building if applicable with windows /doors, dimensioned
All proposed floor plans scale 1:100 dimensioned
All proposed elevations scale 1:100 windows /doors dimensioned materials indicated
Sections of the above scale 1:100
Section scale1:200 that indicates the levels of the proposal within the site
Two photographs existing and/or photomontage/visual proposal
Angled drawing of the proposal at it most representative that includes the access drive, landscaping and plantings
A written submission explaining the visual impact of the project on the surrounding area.
This area of the application needs to cover:
The land use of the general area
The surrounding area (hamlet, street, countryside) outside of the property
The existing building and landscaping within the property, including, hedge, gardens and existing materials
A description of the architectural content of the project including materials and colours (there are no longer boxes in the application form for this information). A consultation with an architect from CAUE should be mentioned in the project description letter

Submission

4 copies of the dossier + application form delivered to the Mairie
Response to application: 2 months
Under the new procedure additional copies of the dossier and/or supplementary studies accompany the dossier in certain situations, this is generally for larger projects however there are situations that this will apply to a domestic situation.
Within 500m of a historic monument
Within a conservation area
Within a national park
Within a historic centre defined by the local plan
Within a seismic or cyclonic zone