Planning & Permissions

If you are considering investing in a garden retreat, you are probably wondering if you require planning permission for it. In most cases the answer is no. This is because for planning purposes, most garden rooms are treated as outbuildings. This means that you can usually construct a garden room under your householder permitted development rights. These allow householders to improve and extend their homes in certain ways without the need to make a planning application. Garden rooms are Class E permitted developments as they are outbuildings within the curtilage of the property.

Class E permitted development rights

Garden rooms are Class E permitted developments providing that:

1. The main property (dwellinghouse) is not a flat, apartment, maisonette, converted house created through the permitted development rights to change use or a building that is not a dwellinghouse.
2. The proposed building is incidental to the enjoyment of the dwellinghouse and does not feature living accommodation such as a bedroom, bathroom or kitchen.
3. The garden room will not be attached to the dwellinghouse.
4. The total area of ground around the dwellinghouse and within the curtilage of the property that is covered by outbuildings would not exceed 50% of the total area of the ground. Here, the buildings to be considered include any existing outbuildings and sheds and also extensions to the dwellinghouse built under permitted development rights. The ground occupied by the original dwellinghouse should not be included in the calculations.
5. The garden room is not positioned forward of a wall forming the principal elevation of the dwellinghouse. The principal elevation of a dwelling house would normally be that featuring the front door or that facing the highway.
6. The proposed building has a single storey.
7. The height of the building does not exceed 4 metres if it has a dual-pitched roof or 2.5 metres if the building is within 2 metres of the boundary of the curtilage of the dwellinghouse or 3 metres in all other cases. The height of the building should be measured from the highest ground level adjacent to the building.
8. The height of the eaves of the outbuilding does not exceed 2.5 metres.
9. The dwellinghouse is not a listed building

Need more information? We have a comprehensive guide on garden room planning permission?