In most cases, adding a garden room to your property can be done without needing planning permission. This is one of the reasons why people are choosing them as a way to expand the space available at home. However, there are certain circumstances when planning permission for a garden room is needed.
Whether it be due to height, location or purpose of the room, planning permission could be a crucial step in the design and installation process. This is why it is important to check planning permission rules against your design, especially for bespoke spaces.
At Garden Room Solutions, we work with you to create a truly custom space that brings your vision to life. This means that we often complete projects that exceed the criteria for Permitted Development Rights and need planning permission. Because of this, we make sure that our team is always up-to-date on planning permission guidelines and rules so we can advise you and provide a smooth and easy application process.
In this blog, we share when you need to apply for planning permission and how to do it.
When is Planning Permission Required for a Garden Room?
As we said, in most instances, we will be able to design and build a garden room without planning permission because it can fall under your Permitted Development Rights. However, there are some cases when you will need to apply for planning permission from your local authority.
These are when:
- The room exceeds a certain height – anything over 2.5 metres
- The room is located within 2 metres of a boundary
- The room is designed to be a liveable space – it has plumbing and facilities
- The room is in a specified area, such as a conservation area
We will flag if your garden room design meets any of these criteria so that you are aware you will need planning permission in place before we go ahead with installing it.
Of course, we won’t just flag it and let you deal with it! Planning permission applications can sometimes live up to their infamous reputation, so we will help you work through them.
Steps to Obtain Planning Permission for a Garden Room
There are several steps you will need to take when applying for planning permission for a garden room.
- Check if you need planning permission – we will tell you if we believe you need it, but it is always best to check this with your local authority.
- Submit an application – you will need to complete an application form and submit it to your local authority. You can find these forms on the .gov website.
- Submit detailed plans and drawings – you will likely need to also submit detailed drawings of the designed garden room. We will create these with everything needed on them and share them with you so that you can include them in your application. The documents needed will include:
- A site map of your plot with the proposed development marked to scale
- Details about the materials used, particularly on the exterior of the building
- Rainwater control plan to show prevention
- Waiting for approval – the authority will review your application and grant or deny permission. They might deny the application but give feedback, offering you a chance to amend the designs and plans to fit with the rules before they grant it to you.
Don’t worry about this application process because our staff are always happy to help. We have been through the process plenty of times, so know what is needed and how we can amend plans to get approval to continue.
Common Pitfalls and How to Avoid Them When Applying For Planning Permission
There is a lot to planning permission applications, so mistakes are common.
Here are a few pitfalls to be aware of:
- Not providing the right documents – all documents need to be to scale, so should include a scale bar.
- Not considering the location – the room should be at the back of the house
- Not considering the height – if the room is taller than 2.5 metres, it needs to be 2 metres away from a boundary.
- Not considering the size – the room shouldn’t be more than 50% of the garden area.
- Not considering the purpose – there is a lack of purpose or details to accommodate the purpose of living space.
Again, don’t worry about these because our team will work with you to ensure everything is provided for a smooth application process.
Benefits of Professional Help with Planning Regulations
If you want, you are always welcome to work through the planning application by yourself. However, there are benefits to taking advantage of the knowledge our team has.
- Save time – our experts can have everything ready for when you need it, so you aren’t waiting around for the right documents to submit your application.
- Ensure compliance and avoid mistakes – our team knows what needs to be considered, so our plans and documents will detail everything, noting all the considerations and ensuring your designs meet the requirements.
- Anticipate changes – having been through the process several times before, we are often able to predict adjustments that might be required, making them before submitting the application and reducing the chances of feedback and resubmission.
- Personalised support – we will be on hand to help you through the paperwork, so will be able to answer any questions you have, meaning you can fill out the application and submit it with confidence that everything is in order.
Navigate Planning Permission With Our Experts
More often than not, you won’t need planning permission for your garden room. However, if your space exceeds certain height and size limits, is located near a boundary, or you intend to use it as a habitable space, such as an annexe or Air BnB, you will need to apply for planning permission from your local authority.
Because we design and build bespoke garden rooms, we frequently work on projects that require planning permission, so we have plenty of experience with the process.
At Garden Room Solutions, planning permission is a consideration that our team has at the forefront of their mind throughout the whole design process, and they will mention it when they think your vision would need it.
As mentioned throughout, we will have all the documents you need ready for your submission so you can get on and submit the application without delay.
Contact our team today to start designing your desired garden room without worries about planning permission. Call us on 01202 081198 or complete our online contact form, and we will get in touch with you.
Alternatively, come and visit us at our showroom in Wimborne to see examples of our work and speak to our team face-to-face.