Permitted Development Rights, Planning Permission & Building Regulations

Planning rules, building regulations and permitted development can be a minefield. However, for outbuildings, they're pretty straight forward. Outlined below we've tried to simplify it for you.

Outbuildings (garden rooms / garden studios / snugs, etc) are considered to be permitted development, i.e. not needing planning permission, subject to the following limits and conditions:

Permitted Development Oudoor Modular Spaces

The Law

"No outbuilding on land forward of a wall forming the principal elevation."

In laymans terms

Not in front of the house

Side of the house

Back of the house

In front of the house

LARCH Garden Room Designs
Permitted Development Oudoor Modular Spaces

The Law

"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."

In laymans terms

Flat Roof Garden Rooms

2.5m Height if within 1m of the boundary

3m Height if 2m away from boundary

In front of the house

CEDAR Garden Room Designs
Permitted Development Oudoor Modular Spaces

The Law

"In National Parks, the Broads, Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty and World Heritage Sites the maximum area to be covered by buildings more than 20 metres from the house to be limited to 10 square metres."

In laymans terms

In certain areas of the UK you cannot build using permitted development rights as it's likely they've been removed by your local planning dept.

Not listed below

In National Parks

The Broads

In Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty

World Heritage Sites

On designated land 

If Article 4 has been removed (this is your Permitted Development Rights)

PREMIUM Garden Room Designs
Permitted Development Oudoor Modular Spaces

The Law

Within the curtilage of listed buildings any outbuilding will require planning permission

In laymans terms

If you live in a listed property you will require planning permission

Not listed building

Listed building

BESPOKE Garden Room Designs
Permitted Development Oudoor Modular Spaces

The Law

"No more than half the area of land around the "original house"* would be covered by additions or other buildings."

In laymans terms

50% Rule

A total of 50% of garden/land can be taken up by extensions and outbuildings

More than 50% of your garden/land used for extensions and outbuildings

Book an ONLINE Consultation