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Do you need planning permission ?
This Article describes the difference between, "Planning Permission" and "Permitted Development".
The Article also explains all you need to know about buying your new Garden Room.
Planning Permission
All though it is unlikely that you will need planning permission to construct your garden room you will need to follow rules outlined by U.K. Government Laws under the permitted development rights for householders and technical guidance, to avoid requesting for planning permission with your local planning authority (LPA) through your local council.
You will need planning permission if your home is a Listed Building or in a Designated Protected Area.
If you live in a flat or maisonette and own an external piece of land included with your flat or maisonette you will be required to apply for planning permission for any type of construction on the external property.
Planning Permission is only needed when the work being carried out meets the statutory definintion of "Development" set out in Section 55 of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990.
To find out if your project requires planning permission contact (LPA) through your local council.
If this is the case our on hand special advisors will be available to help and guide you through the process of the works under the rules of government legislation acts and orders required for your project.
Permitted Development
Permitted Development Rights allow you to undertake new building projects without the need to apply for planning permission, However does not remove the requirements for permissions or consents under other regimes such as the Building Regulations and Party Wall Act.
Householder permitted development rights are set out in the Town and Country Planning (General Permitted Development) (England) Order 2015.
Part 1 of Section 2 shows the permitted development rules concerning what enlargements, improvements, alterations and other additions a householder may make to their home and the area around it without needing to apply for planning permission.
If you intend you use your Garden Room for any of the following uses such as shops, premises offering financial or professional services, hot food takeaways, betting shops, payday loan shops, amusement arcades, casinos, launderettes, premises offering storage or distribution services, light industrial premises and agricultural buildings or any homes which are flats. In these cases planning permission will be required.
Garden Room Building Regulations
Building Regulations are about how a structure is designed, built and insulated. Meeting the correct requirements to produce the correct certificates is very important as the certificates will be needed if you sell your property in the future.
Building Regulations do not usually apply to garden rooms or outbuildings so long as the project meets the following :
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Is not attached to your main home.
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The floor area is no larger than 15 Square Metres.
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Does not include sleeping accommodation.
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If the floor area is larger than 15 square metres and less than 30 square metres you may not need to apply for building regulations approval as long its more than 1 metre from your boundary and the structure is built using non-combustible materials.
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Electrics in your garden room will need to comply with Part P of the Building Regulations.
Our Qualified Electrician will install the electrics requested by the customer connecting it to their mains supply. We will then carry our safety tests to ensure the system is safe to operate before issuing a certificate showing that it meets the relevant Building Regulations.
Garden Room's with Plumbing
You may need planning permission for your garden room if you want plumbing installed.
To have a cold water supply running to your garden room you'll need to have two sets of pipes installed, one bringing fresh water and the other to take away waste water.
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The fresh water supply will need to be connected to the water mains of your house.
The waste water pipe will need to be connected to an existing drain, if this is not possible you may need to install a pump with the plumbing to move waste water to an external drain elsewhere.
For hot water, water heaters can be installed under a sink or in a cupboard holding from 2 to 30 litres of hot water.
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Fitting toilets will probably require installing a macerator to reduce waste to a pulp, this will also need to be connected to a soil pipe to take waste to the main sewer.
Garden Room's for Business
Permitted Development Rules cover outbuildings including garden rooms which are incidental to the main house. Essentially this means that their use is a minor accompaniment to the main house.
Working on your own on your computer in your garden office is more likely to be an "incidental" use than using it as a business hub for clients to come to meetings or appointments on a regular basis, this would have an effect on the neighbourhood.
If you do use your garden building for more means than what are deemed incidental then your local council may request that you apply for planning permission, If it is not granted you will need to take the building down.
Check with your local planning office if your not sure that the means of your garden building will require planning permission.
Planning & Building Control Guide
What is planning permission
What is permitted development
Garden room building regulations
Garden room with plumbing
Garden rooms for business
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