A Complete Guide to Garden Room Planning Permission

If you're thinking about purchasing one of our spectacular home offices, gyms, summer houses, or sheds, you may be wondering whether you need to seek any planning permission. This blog will guide you through the process, and aims to answer all of your burning questions.

When Do Garden Buildings Need Planning Permission?

Most of the time, standard garden rooms such as offices, sheds, and summerhouses do not require any form of planning permission. They often fall under the category of "Permitted Development", which states the acceptable heights and positioning of buildings, without the need to apply for planning permission.

There are however some exceptions to this rule, particulary surrounding conservation areas, listed buildings, and sites of outstanding natural beauty. If you are lucky enough to live in an area that is protected for these reasons, you are likely to have to apply for planning permission before erecting your garden building.

What Are The Permitted Development Rules?

For a garden room to fall into the permitted development rules, it must adhere to the following criteria:

Height (within 2 metres of property boundary)

• The building must be single-storey
• Maximum overall height of 2.5 metres from ground level

Height (over 2 metres from property boundary)

• The building must be single-storey
• Maximum eaves height of 2.5 metres from ground level
• Maximum overall height of 3 metres with a single-pitched roof (pent)
• Maximum overall height of 4 metres with a dual-pitched roof (apex)

Location

• Cannot be located at the front of your house
• Cannot be located at the side of your house

Total Area

• Cannot take up more than 50% of the land around your house

Usage Limitations

• Cannot be used for overnight accommodation
• Cannot be used for self-contained living
• Cannot install an antenna on the building's exterior

Addtional Restrictions

• Must not build a veranda, balcony, or raised platform
• Raised decking is limited to 3cm high

If you believe it is likely that your garden room will not meet these restrictions, it is vital that you contact your local planning authority to discuss applying for planning permission.

What Does The Planning Permission Process Look Like?

The first stage in any planning permission application involves finding out who your local planning authority are and getting in touch with them to outline your desired plans. It is worth noting that there is a fee for this service, which varies between each local authority.

Find out who your local planning authority are here.

If it is possible to do so, it is advised to speak with your neighbours about your plans to prevent problems further down the line in the application process. It is typical for an application to take around eight weeks from start to finish, so it is important to get the appliation started as soon as you can.

Summary

All in all, although it can seem complicated - planning permission for garden rooms is generally quite a straightforward process. In the majority of cases planning permission is not even required, particularly as our manufacturers design almost all of their buildings to fit into the permitted development rules.

In the select cases where planning permission is needed, simply contact your local authority and they can guide you through the process.

If you are unsure about anything outlined in this article, or need personalised advice, please send us an email at: info@yorkshiregardenbuildings.co.uk, give us a call on: 01482 950095, or get in touch through our convenient enquiries form, and one of our helpful team will be sure to get back to you as quickly as possible.