Building regs/planning permission for bricking up one entrance

[DarrenM343]

Any builders?
I'm looking at a purchasing bungalow as a bit of a project. It's supposed to be a 3 bed but the single bedroom was converted to a washroom by the current owners - right next to the main bathroom. Note that neither form an ensuite to either remaining bathroom.
The building has two entrances, one to the kitchen, one to a hallway where the hallway is between the washroom and one bedroom. Would I need likely need planning permission to brick up this entrance, or would this be in breach of any building regs? The reason for wanting to do so would be to merge the bedroom with the washroom (across part of the hallway making a bigger bedroom with an ensuite, and a shorter hallway.

As it's a bungalow the means of escape would be the windows, but I was considering putting in a new entrance the other side of the building (it's detached and currently both entrances are on one side.

Highlighted in red

 

[Derek W]

The main one is the means of escape. As your only means of escape will be through the Kitchen all other rooms will be classed as 'inner rooms' but as you've stated so long as you've got a secondary means of escape (appropriately sized escape windows of 0.33m2 opening with no size less than 450 mm) you should be ok. Building Control may ask to upgrade your smoke detection depending on what's there currently though.

EDIT
Is there any windows on the side of the lounge or is it just through the conservatory that you're getting light?

 

[DarrenM343]

Yep, there is a large window in the lounge, just omitted it seems from the current layout plan. I was thinking patio sliding or french doors there leading out to part of the garden.

I was thinking longer term to try to get permission to turn the conservatory into another bedroom. It's currently quarter bricked