Do you need planning permission for a garden room?

Published on: Thu 9 Feb 2023

When planning to have your own garden room constructed, the last thing you’d want is to receive a letter of complaint or worse – a notice that it must be taken down. Although planning permission isn’t required for a garden room in most cases, it’s worth checking that you’re in line with all regulations before you go ahead with your investment.

What’s the use?

One of the big advantages to installing a garden room is that they’re so versatile. They can be used for whatever you require. In. most cases, you won’t need planning permission for your garden room, regardless of its use. As it’s a separate structure to your house, it’s automatically classed as an outhouse. However, this is dependent on whether your home has the permitted development rights, given by the area you live in.

What rules does my garden room have to follow?

It’s unlikely you’ll breach any of these regulations, but to make sure you can make educated decisions when planning your garden room, here’s what you’ll need to know:

  • Your garden room must not be in front of your home
  • The structure must not cover more than 50% of the area around your house
  • Your garden room cannot be taller than 2.5 metres from the ground to the eaves
  • The maximum height your room can be is 3 metres (or 4 metres if your room has a double pitched roof
  • Balconies, verandas or any form of raised platforms are prohibited from being featured on your garden room
  • It must be a single storey structure
  • A garden room cannot be used for living accommodation
Sunbury Garden Room
Do permitted development rights apply to all properties?

There are three cases where special action is required to plan a garden room. If you live in a conservation area, your garden room must be in the back garden, it cannot be placed at the front or side of your house. The restrictions are even tighter for those who live in Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty. The maximum size that your garden room can be is 10 square metres, and it must also be 20 metres away from your house. If you plan to add a garden space to the grounds of a listed building, you’ll need full planning permission regardless of its use.  

What is I want to have a living space in my garden?

Installing a living space in your garden is a completely different matter. A garden room will not be suitable for such a purpose, but a garden annexe will. Getting the green light for this sort of project will require sending a standard planning permission application to your local authorities. At Custom Garden Rooms, we supply both modern garden rooms and garden annexes to our clients, so that the requirements are fulfilled of both our clients and the local areas they live in.

Bespoke Garden Office
What if my Custom Garden Room doesn’t end up meeting regulations?

Building any structure that isn’t compliant with current regulations will definitely cost you more time and money in the long run than not checking what your limitations are. Not only is it expensive, but also unsafe. By not complying with building standards, you’re putting yourself and those who use your garden room at risk.

If you’re unsure as to what is required before your garden room us installed, get in touch with our team. We can discuss your requirements, your current space, and will be able to advise whether you will require planning permission – or if we will be able to get started straight away. Ready to get started? Get in touch with us to discuss your garden room plans. Got another question? See our FAQ page.