Do You Need Planning Permission For A Garden Office?

Posted in doineedplanningpermission, gardenroom , planningpermission

If you currently work remotely or you aspire to work from home, then a garden office offers a multitude of benefits. From enhanced convenience to increased productivity, there is a good reason why sales of garden offices have soared in recent years.

That being said, if you don’t want to take down your brand-new garden office before you have even had the chance to use it, you need to ensure you are adhering to local planning laws and regulations.

Within the below blog, we will answer the following questions:

• Do you require planning permission for a garden office?
• What size garden office can I build?
• How do I apply for planning permission?
• Do you need to adhere to building regulations?

Do you require planning permission for a garden office?

More often than not, you do not need permission for a garden office or garden room. This is because, in most cases, a garden office can be erected under “Permitted Development” rules. These rules state the heights and positions of buildings that can be built without the need for planning permission.  

However, this is dependent on where you live. While most areas in the UK do not require planning permission for a garden office, there are exceptions to this.

For example, if you live in a listed building or a site of scientific interest, you will need to apply for planning permission. You are also required to contact your local planning department if you live in conservation areas, world heritage sites, national parks, The Broads, and other areas of outstanding natural beauty.

If you are unsure about whether or not you need to apply for planning permission, it can be a good idea to apply for pre-planning advice from your local planning department.

What size garden office can I build?

Garden offices or garden rooms must be single-storey with a maximum eaves height of 2.5 metres and a maximum height overall of 4 metres with a dual-pitched roof.

If the garden room is within 2 metres of the property boundary, the building needs to be less than 2.5 metres high.

No buildings are allowed to go in front of the front elevation of the original house, no matter their size or area of land available.

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How do I apply for planning permission?

If you do need to submit a planning application before you can erect your garden building, then you can do so via your local planning authority. There is a fee for this service, and it can vary from one local authority to another.

Once you have applied, it can be beneficial to talk to your neighbours about your plans and see how they feel about it, as this can help to prevent problems during the application process.

Typically, the planning permission application process takes around eight weeks from start to finish.

Do you need to adhere to building regulations?

In most cases, a garden office can be built without the need to adhere to building regulations. However, if you plan to sleep in your new structure, then you will need to apply for building regulations.

Furthermore, if you plan to erect your office within one metre of any boundary and it is bigger than 15sqm, you may also need to consider certain building regulations.