Planning Permission in Kettering
Local Planning Authority in England · Last updated April 2026
Kettering was replaced by North Northamptonshire in 2021 as part of local government reorganisation. Planning applications in this area are now handled by North Northamptonshire.
View North Northamptonshire planning authority pageKettering is a former borough in Northamptonshire, now administered by North Northamptonshire Council (formed April 2021). The area has 26 conservation areas — the highest number in North Northamptonshire — and 538 listed buildings including 23 at Grade I. Key heritage assets include Boughton House (the 'English Versailles'), Geddington Eleanor Cross (one of only three surviving medieval Eleanor Crosses), and Rushton Triangular Lodge (Elizabethan folly by Sir Thomas Tresham).
Kettering is one of the fastest-growing towns in England, anchored by the Hanwood Park sustainable urban extension (formerly East Kettering) — 332 hectares delivering up to 5,500 homes with secondary school, primary schools, district centre, and employment areas. Planning decisions are guided by the North Northamptonshire Joint Core Strategy (2016), the Kettering Site Specific Part 2 Local Plan (adopted December 2021), and the Kettering Town Centre Area Action Plan (2011). The South West Kettering Neighbourhood Plan was adopted in 2023.
The area's character ranges from the Victorian and Edwardian town centre — reflecting Kettering's boot and shoe manufacturing heritage — to the Rockingham Forest villages with their ironstone and limestone vernacular. Wicksteed Park (Britain's second-oldest theme park, 80 acres, opened 1921) is a major leisure destination. Pre-application advice from North Northamptonshire Council costs £180 for householder desktop assessment or £380 with a site visit.
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What can I build in Kettering?
| Project type | Likely permitted development | May need planning permission | Likely needs planning permission |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rear extension (single storey) | Only outside conservation areas and Article 4 zones | Properties near boundaries | Conservation areas (26), Article 4 zones (5), listed buildings |
| Rear extension (two storey) | Only outside conservation and Article 4 areas | Check distance to boundary ≥7m | Conservation areas (26), Article 4 zones (5), listed buildings |
| Side extension | Detached houses outside protected zones | Semi-detached properties (half-width rule) | Conservation areas (26), Article 4 zones (5), listed buildings |
| Loft conversion (dormer) | Only outside conservation and Article 4 areas | Properties on prominent corners or in Article 4 areas (Mawsley Village Article 4 Direction, Kettering town property-specific Article 4 Directions) | Conservation areas (e.g. Ashley, Barton Seagrave, Brampton Ash), listed buildings, flats |
| Loft conversion (Velux/rooflight) | Most of Kettering outside conservation areas | Front-facing rooflights in conservation areas | Listed buildings, Article 4 areas |
| Outbuilding / garden office | Only outside conservation areas and Article 4 zones, if within size/height limits | Large outbuildings covering >50% of garden | Conservation areas (side or front), listed buildings |
| Porch | Most properties if within 3m² and 3m height | Properties in Article 4 areas or near highway boundary | Conservation areas with restrictions, listed buildings |
| Solar panels | Most properties (roof-mounted) | Panels protruding beyond roofline | Listed buildings, conservation areas (if visible from road) |
| Driveway / hard standing | If using permeable surfacing | Non-permeable surfacing over 5m² | Conservation areas with specific restrictions |
| Garage conversion | Most of Kettering (internal works) | If changing external appearance significantly | Listed buildings |
This is general guidance based on Kettering's planning constraints. Your specific property may differ — use our free PD checker to get a result tailored to your address.
Permitted development in Kettering
Permitted development rights in the Kettering borough area follow the national GPDO but are restricted in specific locations. The borough has 26 conservation areas covering Kettering town centre and 25 surrounding villages, where PD rights for extensions, roof alterations, cladding, and demolition are reduced. Multiple Article 4 directions remove additional PD rights at specific properties across villages including Mawsley (a purpose-built village with extensive controls), Geddington, Rushton, Braybrooke, Loddington, Thorpe Malsor, and others. The borough's 538 listed buildings (23 Grade I, 36 Grade II*, 479 Grade II) always require listed building consent for any works affecting their character. There is no area-wide HMO Article 4 direction in the Kettering area -- unlike the neighbouring Kingswood ward of Corby (introduced April 2024). Properties outside conservation areas, Article 4 direction sites, and listed building curtilages benefit from standard national PD rights.
What Kettering expects from your project
Kettering's built environment reflects its evolution from a medieval market town to a major boot and shoe manufacturing centre in the 19th century and a modern growth town. The town centre retains its medieval street pattern with the Church of St Peter and St Paul (Grade I) as its focal point, surrounded by Victorian and Edwardian commercial buildings. The A14 corridor has driven modern development, positioning Kettering as a key node between London and the Midlands. Hanwood Park (East Kettering SUE) is creating a new garden community of 5,500 homes on 332 hectares, with its own district centre, schools, and employment areas -- one of the largest urban extensions in England. The surrounding villages display the distinctive Northamptonshire character of local ironstone and limestone building materials, with many medieval churches. Boughton House, often called the 'English Versailles', is one of Britain's grandest stately homes with baroque state rooms and extensive formal gardens set in a park developed from a medieval deer park. Wicksteed Park (80 acres) combines an amusement park, heritage site, and public parkland on the southern edge of the town. The landscape is strongly influenced by the historic Rockingham Forest, with significant areas of ancient woodland.
Local Plan: Kettering Core Strategy 2011–2021
Kettering Borough Council was dissolved in April 2021 and merged with Corby, East Northamptonshire and Wellingborough to form North Northamptonshire unitary authority. Kettering's planning policies were set by its Core Strategy (adopted 2011) and the Kettering Town Centre Area Action Plan.
Emerging / replacement plan
North Northamptonshire Council is preparing a new Local Plan for the whole area. A Regulation 18 consultation ran in 2022–2023, with a Regulation 19 plan anticipated in 2025 and adoption targeted for 2026–2027.
26 conservation areas
Kettering has a high number of conservation areas. Check whether your property falls within one before starting any work — conservation area status significantly restricts what you can do without planning permission.
Conservation areas in Kettering
26 designated conservation areas
Kettering borough has 26 conservation areas -- one of the highest concentrations of any former district in Northamptonshire. Kettering town centre conservation area was reviewed in 2007 by Donald Insall Associates, covering the historic core including the medieval church, market place, and 19th-century commercial streets. Village conservation areas protect settlements with exceptional heritage character: Geddington (home to one of only three surviving Eleanor Crosses, a Grade I Scheduled Monument), Rushton (near Rushton Triangular Lodge, a Grade I Elizabethan folly), Braybrooke (designated 1985), Rothwell (with its famous bone crypt in Holy Trinity Church), and Weekley (estate village for Boughton House). Other conservation areas include Ashley, Barton Seagrave, Brampton Ash, Broughton, Burton Latimer, Cranford, Cransley, Desborough, Grafton Underwood (USAAF 384th Bomb Group memorial), Harrington, Little Oakley, Loddington, Newton, Pipewell, Pytchley, Stoke Albany, Thorpe Malsor, Warkton, Weston By Welland, and Wilbarston.
Article 4 directions in Kettering
5 Article 4 direction areas
Listed buildings in Kettering
There are 538 listed buildings in Kettering. If your property is listed, permitted development rights are significantly restricted. Most external and many internal alterations will require listed building consent, which is separate from planning permission. Always check with Kettering's conservation team before starting any work on a listed property.
Planning application statistics
Year ending September 2025 | Source: MHCLG planning application statistics
Kettering received 531 planning applications and decided 498 in the year ending September 2025. The approval rate of 87.6% is above the national average of 86.9%. Major applications are expected to be decided within 13 weeks, while householder and other non-major applications have an 8-week target. The “in time” figures include decisions made within agreed extensions of time.
Kettering borough merged into North Northamptonshire Council in April 2021 alongside Corby, East Northamptonshire, and Wellingborough. The Kettering area planning office at Municipal Offices, Bowling Green Road continues to handle applications under the NK/ reference prefix. Building control for the Kettering area is provided in-house by NNC via the Kettering office (phone: 01536 805127, email: buildingcontrol.kbc@northnorthants.gov.uk). Pre-application advice costs £180 (written only), £300 (written plus meeting), or £380 (written plus site visit) for householder proposals, with additional officers charged at £60-£190/hour depending on seniority. There is 1 made neighbourhood plan in the Kettering area -- the South West Kettering (Headlands Community) Neighbourhood Plan (made 8 June 2023, approved at referendum with 91% yes vote). The Kettering Central Neighbourhood Plan is in preparation (designated October 2024). A further 8 neighbourhood plan areas are designated but plans are not yet made: Desborough, Rothwell, Grafton Underwood, Great Cransley, Mawsley, Pytchley, Rushton, Harrington, and Wilbarston. The Joint Core Strategy housing requirement for Kettering and Barton Seagrave is 6,190 dwellings (2011-2031).
If your project complies with permitted development rules, you don't need to worry about approval rates — a Lawful Development Certificate is a factual assessment, not a judgment call.
Recent planning applications in Kettering
Browse what's been approved near you
Seeing what similar projects have been approved near your property can help you understand what Kettering expects in terms of scale, materials, and design. It's also useful for gauging how quickly the council processes applications.
Search planning applications on Kettering's portal →Data from MHCLG planning application register. Search for householder applications (H01/H02) to see extensions and loft conversions in your area.
Housing delivery in Kettering
Housing Delivery Test 2023 measurement | Source: MHCLG
Kettering delivered 783 homes against a requirement of 540 over the three-year measurement period, giving a Housing Delivery Test score of 145%. This is above the 95% threshold, which means there are no government-imposed consequences for housing under-delivery. Planning applications in Kettering are assessed on their own merits under standard planning policies.
Lawful Development Certificates in Kettering
A Lawful Development Certificate (LDC) is formal confirmation from Kettering that your project is lawful under permitted development rules. It is not legally required before you build, but it is the only official document that proves your project did not need planning permission. Most solicitors will ask for one when you come to sell, remortgage, or insure your property.
Kettering decided 210 householder applications in the year ending september 2025. Their 8-week performance of 91.8% is below the national average of 93%, so LDC applications may take longer than the 8-week target. LDC applications follow the same 8-week statutory determination period as householder planning applications.
How to apply for an LDC in Kettering
You can apply for a Lawful Development Certificate through the Planning Portal or directly through Kettering's website. You will need to submit:
- A completed application form (available on the Planning Portal)
- A site location plan at 1:1250 or 1:2500 scale
- Existing and proposed floor plans and elevations
- A written description of the proposed works and how they comply with the GPDO 2015
- The application fee of £258
Kettering must issue a decision within 8 weeks. If the application is approved, the certificate is a permanent legal record that the development is lawful. If refused, you can appeal to the Planning Inspectorate or amend your project and reapply.
Need help preparing your LDC application?
Our Permitted Development Certificate Report gives you a full PD eligibility assessment, property constraints check, and application checklist tailored to your address and project — so you can apply with confidence.
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Approval rates, decision patterns, Article 4 directions, fees & timelines, and council-specific tips for Kettering.
Pre-application advice in Kettering
Kettering offers a pre-application advice service. The fee for householder pre-app advice is £180.
Pre-app advice is worth paying for if your project is borderline, your property is in a conservation area, or your home is a listed building.
Think your project might be permitted development?
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Check your PD rights now →Desktop assessment £180, with 1-hour meeting £300, with site visit £380. Listed building advice at hourly rates (£85-£100/hr). Submit to NNC planning team.
Planning fees and timelines in Kettering
| Application type | Fee | Typical timeline |
|---|---|---|
| Householder Planning Permission | £528 | Single dwelling alterations and extensions (from April 2025) |
| Lawful Development Certificate (Proposed) | £264 | Confirm whether proposed work is permitted development |
| Lawful Development Certificate (Existing) | £298 | Confirm existing use or development is lawful |
| Listed Building Consent | Free | Required for works affecting character of any of the 538 listed buildings |
| Prior Approval | £120 | Larger home extensions and certain change of use |
| Discharge of Conditions | £145 | Per request to discharge planning conditions |
| Non-Material Amendment | £44 | Minor changes to approved plans |
| Full Planning Permission (new dwelling) | £610 per dwelling | New dwellings up to 50 units (from April 2025) |
Fees are set nationally and correct as of April 2026. Pre-application fees are set by Kettering and may change. Building regulations fees are separate — see the building control section below.
Building regulations in Kettering
Building regulations approval is separate from planning permission. Most extensions, loft conversions, and structural alterations need building regs approval even if they don't need planning permission.
Building control in Kettering is provided by North Northamptonshire Council (in-house, LABC member). In-house service from Kettering office covering Kettering, Burton Latimer, Desborough and surrounding communities. You can also use a private approved inspector instead of the council's service.
Building control contact
Kettering planning department
Your building project checklist for Kettering
- Check if your property is in a conservation area — Kettering has 26 conservation areas. Use our free checker or see the list above.
- Check for Article 4 directions at your address — Kettering has 5 Article 4 areas. Check your address.
- Check if your property is listed — search the Historic England list.
- Use our free PD checker to see if your project qualifies as permitted development — Check now.
- Consider a Lawful Development Certificate if PD applies — it protects you when selling. Learn more about LDCs or get your PD Certificate Report.
- Consider pre-application advice if planning permission is needed — see the pre-application section above.
- Check building regulations — most extensions and loft conversions need building regs approval even if they don't need planning permission.
- Check Party Wall Act obligations if building near a boundary — read our Party Wall guide or use our free Party Wall tool.
- Notify your home insurer about planned building work.
- Get at least 3 quotes from builders and check their credentials.
Nearby planning authorities
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