Do you need planning permission?
Most garden rooms and offices won’t require planning permission as they are classed as outbuildings under the rules for permitted development rights. But this might not apply if your home is a listed building, or located in an area of outstanding natural beauty, National Park, or a conservation area. Make sure to check with your local planning office if that may be the case.
The allowances apply to houses, not flats or maisonettes. And are based on the house as it was first built, or as it stood on 1st July, 1948. If a previous owner has built multiple sheds and outbuildings, you may need to remove or replace some to avoid using more than 50% of your total land area.
If permitted development rules do apply, then you just need to follow some simple rules.
- It’s not built in front of your home.
- The total area of all extensions, sheds and outbuildings must not cover more than 50% of the total land area around your house.
- A maximum height of 2.5 metres if it’s located within 2 metres of your boundary. And a maximum height of eaves of 2.5 metres, and overall roof height of three metres (4 metres with a pitched roof) anywhere else.
- No balconies, verandas or other raised platforms.
- Building Regulations apply for electrics, and if you ever plan to sleep in it, or use it as a guest room
- You may need planning permission if you intend to use it for activities which usually take place in your main home, such as showering or cooking.
Technical guidance is available from the UK Government website, and applies across England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland. Reputable and experienced contractors and specialists will also be able to advise you on whether your plans might need permission.
Other benefits to garden offices
Having a private, dedicated work space can be enormously valuable, especially if you need to get away from family members to focus. And being located away from your house can make interruptions less likely than if you’re based in a conservatory or loft extension.
Being outdoors, and able to look at nature, can help lower stress and blood pressure, and boost your creativity. Your office could also be used as somewhere to relax, or as an occasional guest room. Just try and avoid the temptation to dump everything in there as extra storage space.
It's also generally quicker and easier to add an outbuilding to your garden than building an extension. A fairly simple and straightforward construction could be finished in two or three weeks, without any disruption to your home or work.
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