Planning Advice for Garden Rooms

Understanding Permitted Development Regs

Do I Need Planning Permission for My Garden Room?

As garden rooms generally don’t require planning permission this can drastically speed up the process of getting that extra room in your home! However, when building your Warwickshire garden room, garden pod or garden studio, there are certain rules that need to be adhered to, to ensure you remain within the ‘permitted development’ regulations. The main rules are:

Buildings must not exceed a maximum height of 2.5m tall if constructed with a flat roof

They cannot cover more than 50% of the land surrounding the house or be more than 30m2

Garden buildings cannot be used as permanent self-contained living accommodation unless planning permission is granted

You cannot situate your garden room at the front of the house

    Simple Advice

    FAQs for Planning Garden Rooms

    Here's our straightforward answers to the most asked questions. If you can avoid having to obtain planning permission for your garden room, the project will be much swifter and less costly.

  • Where can I place my garden room?

    As the name suggests, garden rooms are intended for the garden. However, to ensure planning permission is not required they will need to be erected in the back garden. Permitted development regulations mean that you cannot place one at the front or side of your house.

  • How big can my garden room be?

    Your garden room cannot exceed more than 50% of the land around your ‘original house’. Your ‘original house’ is the total area of all extensions, sheds and outbuildings, including the proposed garden room. This applies to the area as it was on 1 July 1948.

  • What height can my garden room be?

    If you don’t want to apply for planning permission your garden room will need to be single storey with an eaves height no taller than 2.5metres above ground level. Including the roof, it is possible to build up to 4 metres (for a gable) or up to 3 metres for other roof designs. However, the critical factor is how far your building is away from your boundary - if it’s within 2 metres of your boundary the maximum height is 2.5 metres.

  • Can I sleep in my garden room?

    If you intend to use your garden room as a regular overnight living space, be that for friends and family, or Airbnb, you will need to apply for planning permission.

  • My property is a listed building and/or in a conservation area

    Listed buildings are likely to require planning permission for a garden room build, as are properties which sit in conservation areas. We recommend that you contact the planning office to better understand the required legislations for these types of buildings.

  • What are the privacy rules for neighbours?

    In order to ensure privacy for your neighbours, garden rooms cannot have a balcony, veranda or raised platform.

Office garden room

Providing Advice
on an Individual Basis

There may be variations to permitted development and planning rules depending on your geographical location and the proximity of your garden room to your property. We are happy to provide advice to customers on an individual basis.

You can find more in depth information on planning permission for garden rooms in our news article.

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