Advice for Planning Permission

If you’re asking yourself the question ‘do I need planning permission for my garden building?’ then you’re not alone. Over our 20 years in creating unique, bespoke garden buildings we’ve come up against and answered every question regarding whether planning permission is required or not for any given garden structure. Here is a summary of the rules and regulations for planning permission, as well as some advice on how to prepare your garden for the installation of a new garden building.

Planning Permission

Does A Garden Building Require Planning Permission?

Garden Buildings are considered Permitted Development, and in most cases do not require planning permission as long as:

The building is placed less than 2.0m from the boundary of the property with a maximum overall height no more than 2.5m from existing ground level.

The building must be positioned more than 2.0 metres away from the property's edge. If so, the highest eave height for a single-storey garden building can be 2.5 metres. You must apply for planning permission if you would like the overall height to be higher than the specified roof heights.

Other Planning Conditions

• The building is not to be utilised as self-contained living space or to house an antenna.

• Garden buildings should not occupy more than 50% of the land surrounding the original house.

• Outbuildings shall be no closer to a road or public highway than the primary house.

Should your garden construction fall short of the aforementioned requirements, such as the height of the building exceeding 2.5 metres and being situated less than 2.0 metres from your property's boundary, you will have to apply for planning permission.

If your garden building fits the above criteria, you do not need to apply for planning permission and can have an internal area of up to 30m2. Anything more than 30 square metres must conform with building regulations.

Listed Buildings

Do I need planning permission for a garden building or structure near a listed building?

Historic England and the Secretary of State for Culture, Media, and Sport have designated listed buildings as items or structures of national importance due to their architectural or historic significance. Once approved, these structures are added to a separate record known as the List of Buildings of Special Architectural or Historic Interest.

There are stricter regulations for listed structures, thus any garden construction or outbuilding erected within the grounds of a listed home will require planning approval. If you go one step further and need a structure to be erected and attached to a listed property, you will need both listed building consent and planning permission.

There are also extra restrictions if your property is situated on designated land, which refers to places of interest such as national parks, the Broads, World Heritage Sites, Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty and conservation areas.

For more information relating to planning permission, visit the government’s Planning Portal website.

Concrete bases

Concrete bases are an optional feature for setting up a garden building, allowing for a flat, even surface to install the structure, ensuring that it is aligned correctly and kept stable.

A concrete base will provide longevity and security for your garden building, ensuring it will remain in good structural condition.

Positioning and laying a concrete base

The following factors need to be considered while choosing the location of your garden building, as well as where to locate the base:

• To allow access for maintenance to your garden building, a recommended spacing of at least 30cm should be left.

• Remove any debris that may be impeding the placement of a concrete base. Before laying a base, ensure that the ground is as level as possible.

• Cut down any overhanging trees or plants and maintain them on a regular basis to avoid harm from branches scratching and damaging the building.

• We recommend that you consider the position of the garden building in relation to the position of the sun to your garden in order to make the most out of your gazebo.

• Although the final concrete base can be significantly impacted by the ground conditions, it is crucial that it is given enough support. We advise obtaining professional assistance when installing a concrete base.