Planning Permission
Most of our buildings do not require planning permission because they meet the criteria of permitted development. This is:
- Buildings of no more than 2.5m roof height being placed within 2.0m of a boundary at the side or back of the house.
- When a building is being placed at the side or back of the house and more than 2.0m from the boundary, a single storey garden building can have a maximum eaves height of 2.5m with a maximum overall height of 4.0m for a pitched roof and 3.0m maximum overall height for a pent roof.
- No more than 50% of the area of land around the original house should be taken up by garden buildings or other buildings. (The term original house means the house as it was first built or as it stood as of 1 July 1948 (if it was built before this date). Any extension, even if completed by a previous occupier, does not constitute as the original house (unless it was in place on 1 July 1948).
- Outbuildings should not be closer to a road or public highway than the original house itself, i.e. not in the front garden.
- The building is not to be used as self-contained living accommodation or have an antenna, or be on a raised platform (of over 300mm).
Other Planning Permission Considerations...
Listed Buildings:
Any garden building or outbuilding to be placed within the curtilage of a listed property will always require planning permission.
Designated Land:
This is areas of interest such as: national parks, the Broads, World Heritage Sites, Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty and conservation areas.
Garden buildings that are positioned more than 20m from any wall of the house must not be more than 10m² in floor area size (above which planning consent is required). Designated land as a whole which includes conservation areas has a restriction which says you cannot have a garden building to the side of a property without requiring planning permission.
Building Regulations
If you want to put up small detached buildings such as a garden shed or summerhouse in your garden, building regulations will not normally apply if the floor area of the building is less than 15 square metres.
If the floor area of the building is between 15 square metres and 30 square metres, you will not normally be required to apply for building regulations approval providing that the building is either at least one metre from any boundary or it is constructed of substantially non-combustible materials.
Building regulations always apply if a building is used for living/sleeping accommodation.
Obtaining planning permission is not too difficult so please call us if you would like advice in connection with one of our buildings.
01353 778 450