Garden outbuilding height increase

[Redbeard]

"Fun fact, if the ground on which your outbuilding is located is sloped or undulating then you get the benefit of measuring from the highest point. This can mean creating a part-excavated building (as others have mentioned) if you need more head height than would be achieved with a standard 2.5m building on flat ground,"

 

Sadly my LA though exactly the opposite. My outbuilding was 4m to the ridge, and 3m at the eaves. It was on a slope, though, so there was a 1m retaining sleeper wall and the eaves height at door level was 2m (and you descends a set of steps to the floor). I tried hard to convince them that they did not, therefore, have to worry their heads about Planning Permission. They disagreed. The measurement, they said, must be from the bottom of the structure, not from the land around it.(It got Planning permission, of course).

[Marko]

1 hour ago, Redbeard said:

Sadly my LA though exactly the opposite. My outbuilding was 4m to the ridge, and 3m at the eaves. It was on a slope, though, so there was a 1m retaining sleeper wall and the eaves height at door level was 2m (and you descends a set of steps to the floor). I tried hard to convince them that they did not, therefore, have to worry their heads about Planning Permission. They disagreed. The measurement, they said, must be from the bottom of the structure, not from the land around it.(It got Planning permission, of course).

Did you get retrospective permission? 

[Redbeard]

"Did you get retrospective permission?"

 

 Not retrospective, no. The Planners told me 'informally' that my proposal did not fall within their interpretation of PD. I applied for PP rather than entering a fray.

[Tony K]

3 hours ago, Nickfromwales said:

I'm working on not actively pissing the neighbours off with a monstrous build, but after that I'm just going to fill the space up and worry about a retrospective PP app if I have to.

More fuel for digging out an extra 200mm or so of spoil and dropping the building / ridge height as much as possible. Life's best when everyone is playing nicely together at the end of the day . I'm happy with 2.1m minimum internal head height and a reasonable pitch apex roof ( solar E/W split ) and hopefully nobody will give a toss.

 

That's the way to do it. Even if you want to take a punt and build something without planning permission (and which you know requires it), build something sensible and considerate. That will significantly reduce the risk of a neighbour reporting you to the council, and significantly increase the chances of getting permission retrospectively if they do. 

 

That said, what you describe doesn't obviously exceed permitted development limits. 

[Tony K]

2 hours ago, Redbeard said:

"Fun fact, if the ground on which your outbuilding is located is sloped or undulating then you get the benefit of measuring from the highest point. This can mean creating a part-excavated building (as others have mentioned) if you need more head height than would be achieved with a standard 2.5m building on flat ground,"

 

Sadly my LA though exactly the opposite. My outbuilding was 4m to the ridge, and 3m at the eaves. It was on a slope, though, so there was a 1m retaining sleeper wall and the eaves height at door level was 2m (and you descends a set of steps to the floor). I tried hard to convince them that they did not, therefore, have to worry their heads about Planning Permission. They disagreed. The measurement, they said, must be from the bottom of the structure, not from the land around it.(It got Planning permission, of course).

 

The arrangement you describe would be permitted development if the excavation was undertaken specifically for, and as a part of, the provision of the outbuilding. If the excavation and retaining wall was there already then the council were correct. 

 

As you found, setting the building into the ground (even if the excavation was preexisting) does of course increase your chance of getting planning permission, should you need it. 

[Nickfromwales]

1 hour ago, Tony K said:

 

That's the way to do it. Even if you want to take a punt and build something without planning permission (and which you know requires it), build something sensible and considerate. That will significantly reduce the risk of a neighbour reporting you to the council, and significantly increase the chances of getting permission retrospectively if they do. 

 

That said, what you describe doesn't obviously exceed permitted development limits. 

It will, just, if it’s within 2m. It’ll be well north of 15m2 that’s for sure! 8.8m x 3.3m internally to just cheat the 30m2 rule most prob. That’s the one rule I will observe to the nth degree! 
I think for most other misdemeanours you can beg forgiveness retrospectively.