Do garden rooms need planning permission?

Garden Rooms Check List
Garden rooms do not require planning permission, all our garden rooms are built and installed to comply with the permitted development guidelines, so long as your garden room falls within the following permitted development guidelines:
  1. Your garden room has a maximum height of 2.5m
  2. It is less than 30 square metres
  3. It must not be within 2 metres from any boundary if it is taller than 2.5 metres or 1 metre from any boundary if it is less than 2.5 metres. Buildings under 15m2 don’t have any regulations and buildings between 15m2 and 30m2 only have to be considered if they are to be slept in or are to be installed within 1m of any boundary
  4. Your garden does not cover more than 50% of the original house*
  5. You are not using it as sleeping accommodation
  6. You are not building on a conservation area or an area of outstanding natural beauty
 

Can you build within 1 metre of a boundary?

If you do plan on building within 1m of your boundary and it is over 15m2, don’t worry, all we have to do is construct the wall of a substantially non-combustible material.

Can you sleep in a garden room?

Sleeping accommodations are not covered under the permitted development of a garden room and the garden room will be treated as its own property, subject to council tax and other regulations.  

Can I have a toilet, a bedroom, and a shower room in my garden room or use it as an annexe?

Yes, however, you will need to apply for Building Regulations. If you require a toilet, shower or basin to the mains sewer If it is self-contained or a living accommodation If the building is 30m2 or over Planning Permission is concerned about how a building looks, where it is situated and what size it is, whilst Building Regulations are concerned that the building is structurally well built and that the building meets current standards for foundations, insulation, ventilation, plumbing, electrics fire safety etc. So, if you are planning a garden room with a toilet, a bedroom with a shower room or an annexe you will need to apply for Building Regulations. You will also need Building Regulation approval for large garden rooms of 30 sqm or more. As with all building work, the owner of the property (or land) in question is ultimately responsible for complying with the relevant planning rules and building regulations.  

Things to note:

If you are unsure or need to clarify whether your property has permitted development rights, then check the planning portal and with your local council.   *The term "original house" means the house as it was first built or as it stood on 1 July 1948 (if it was built before that date). Although you may not have built an extension to the house, a previous owner may have done so.   If you would like help with a planning application, our in-house Architect will be happy to help. Planning application usually costs between £600 - £850. Building regs drawing information & performance spec: £800 - £1250.   If you would to design your own garden room on our FREE online tool CLICK HERE