Planning permission is generally not required for garden rooms. Usually, garden rooms can be installed under permitted developments meaning no planning permission is needed, however if you are unsure if your garden room will fall into the category of ‘outbuildings’ or if you feel planning permission may be necessary, please contact your local planning authority. Lakeland Garden Spaces can apply for planning permission on your behalf through our partnered architect. This is more likely to be the case if you’re buying a substantial structure. The size of your room, where you plan to put it, what you plan to use it as, and where you live all impact whether you will need planning permission so it’s vital to check.
Outbuildings are considered to be permitted development, not needing planning permission, subject to the following limits and conditions:
- No outbuilding on land forward of a wall forming the principal elevation.
- Outbuildings and garages to be single storey with maximum eaves height of 2.5 metres and maximum overall height of four metres with a dual pitched roof or three metres for any other roof.
- Maximum height of 2.5 metres in the case of a building, enclosure or container within two metres of a boundary of the curtilage of the dwellinghouse.
- No verandas, balconies or raised platforms (a platform must not exceed 0.3 metres in height)
- No more than half the area of land around the “original house”* would be covered by additions or other buildings.
- In National Parks, the Broads, Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty and World Heritage Sites the maximum area to be covered by buildings, enclosures, containers and pools more than 20 metres from the house to be limited to 10 square metres.
- On designated land* buildings, enclosures, containers and pools at the side of properties will require planning permission.
- Within the curtilage of listed buildings any outbuilding will require planning permission.
*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.
*Designated land includes national parks and the Broads, Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty, conservation areas and World Heritage Sites.
Please note: The permitted development allowances described here apply to houses and not to:
- Flats and maisonettes (view our guidance on flats and maisonettes)
- Converted houses or houses created through the permitted development rights to change use (as detailed in our change of use section)
- Other buildings
- Areas where there may be a planning condition, Article 4 Direction or other restriction that limits permitted development rights.
Things to consider
- Locate building on site to compliment other structures
- Consider composition, topography and drainage
- Consider sun, shade and prevailing winds
- Plan for access and utilities
- Consider relationship of building to outdoor function
- Building and planning permissions
- Organise activity list for buildings function
- Determine style and colours
- Determine position of doors and windows, considering lighting
- Mark out scale foundations on floor/footprint
- Choose finish materials
- Draw plans for electricity routing and any other services if needed
- Consider orientation
- Always get estimates for extra works not included in your original quotation