Planning permission for kitchenette in Garden room?

[Lloyd Adams]

I'm building a garden room less than 30 square meters and at least 1m from any boundary.

 

I would like to put a kitchenette in here, is this permissible without planning permission?

Edited October 31, 2023 by Lloyd Adams

[Temp]

The rules for planning permission are different to those for Building Regulations Approval.

 

There is a detailed tech guide here which spells out what you can build without planning permission....

 

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/permitted-development-rights-for-householders-technical-guidance

 

There isn't a 30sqm limit for planning permission but check the complicated height limits if near boundary.

 

All buildings should comply with the Building Regulations but that doesn't mean you must always make a Building Control Application.

 

My understanding is you wont need BCA under 30sqm and no bedrooms.

 

Not all of the regulations apply to all buildings.

 

BCA is required for the drains and electrics although your electrician should do that for you.

 

 

Edited October 31, 2023 by Temp

[DevilDamo]

As @Temp mentioned, no requirement under Planning.

 

Sounds like an exempt structure under Building Regulations and that would apply to everything in it.

[JohnMo]

I would check, if your that bothered, as soon as you start to add mains water and drainage, the planning rules start to change. Get more onerous. 

[DevilDamo]

18 minutes ago, JohnMo said:

I would check, if your that bothered, as soon as you start to add mains water and drainage, the planning rules start to change. Get more onerous. 

Nothing to do with Planning. 

[JohnMo]

1 hour ago, DevilDamo said:

Nothing to do with Planning. 

Wrong, as detailed below, if you don't know don't answer someone's question.

 

https://www.crownpavilions.com/blog/garden-room-with-kitchen/

 

"Can you put a kitchen in a garden room?
 

In short, the answer is yes. You can install a kitchen in your garden room so long as you follow building regulations and apply for appropriate planning permission. For a working kitchen, plumbing and electricity is a must-have. As such, your garden building will now be classified as a dwelling rather than an ancillary building and will require planning permission. Read our planning permission guidelines for more information."

[DevilDamo]

I will not even assume you are relying on an unofficial third party website as your source of correct information on the Planning and Building Regulations rules and regulations 🤔

[DevilDamo]

Planning for outbuildings to the side 🤔 Well that’s a new one. Again confirming that third party websites should not be relied upon.

[JohnMo]

1 hour ago, DevilDamo said:

Planning for outbuildings to the side 🤔 Well that’s a new one. Again confirming that third party websites should not be relied upon.

So instead of the short read here is the longer one direct from the government if that suits you better.

 

Ok straight from the government instead, Technical Guidance to permitted development rights - bit of a longer read but what's allowed is concerned in Class E. Page 41 states

 

A purpose incidental to a house would not, however, cover normal residential

uses, such as separate self-contained accommodation or the use of an outbuilding for

primary living accommodation such as a bedroom, bathroom, or kitchen.

 

So having a kitchen is not permitted with planning permission.

190910_Tech_Guide_for_publishing.pdf

[DevilDamo]

It wouldn’t be separate/self-contained as you need more than a kitchenette for that to work. If the OP was talking about having a bedroom/living area, shower room and kitchen(ette), then that may be a slightly different conversation.

 

The garden room would also not be “primary living accommodation.”

 

You do not require Planning to put a kitchenette into an outbuilding.

 

I’m very aware of the TG. It’s a shame unofficial websites don’t read, copy and paste it correctly.

[JohnMo]

Sorry you can't read the 'or'

 

If I was asking the question the OP is asking (and by the way I wouldn't ask, I would just do it), then reading the technical guideance it reads as, planning permission is required.

 

But people ask too many questions, to get answers, they don't really want to hear.

 

 

[DevilDamo]

I better remove the kitchenette from my gym then as I don’t want Planning turning up and request that I submit a Planning application.

[mr rusty]

I'm with @devildamo here.

 

A purpose incidental to a house would not, however, cover normal residential

uses, such as separate self-contained accommodation ( if it isn't self contained accom. this doesn't apply)or the use of an outbuilding for

primary living accommodation (if it isn't primary living accommodation this doesn't apply) such as a bedroom, bathroom, or kitchen.

 

The key thing IMHO is whether the use of the garden room is ancillary to the main house as planned/used. If it is, you can do whatever you like in it subject to building regs for electric and drains. Like most things this will depend on the facts. If it's got a bedroom, kitchen, toilet shower then it's very hard to argue it's not self contained accommodation. If it has a kitchenette, toilet but no bedroom, and these are not the primary facilities for the main house, it's easy to argue it's just for ancillary use. 

Edited November 1, 2023 by mr rusty

[JohnMo]

@Lloyd Adams has all the information now, different views on what is or isn't allowed, and only he knows how the space will be used, in the end. So really up to him to decide, which way he proceeds. Not me, you or anyone else.

[Temp]

16 hours ago, JohnMo said:

Can you put a kitchen in a garden room?
 

In short, the answer is yes. You can install a kitchen in your garden room so long as you follow building regulations and apply for appropriate planning permission. For a working kitchen, plumbing and electricity is a must-have. As such, your garden building will now be classified as a dwelling rather than an ancillary building and will require planning permission. Read our planning permission guidelines for more information."

 

That's not exactly wrong but I think assumes what you are building is capable of separate occupation. If there was a bedroom in there then adding a kitchen might/would be sufficient to make it capable of being occupied separate to the main house.

[joe90]

I believe @DevilDamo is correct, I enquired about this at a previous property and established that if it’s self contained (bedroom, kitchen, bathroom)  it must have planning but if any one of those is missing it is ancillary (meaning you have to use the main residence for one of the functions) and this can fall within permitted development. Plus the fact who the feck  is going to notice 🤷‍♂️

[joe90]

On 01/11/2023 at 09:30, JohnMo said:

So really up to him to decide, which way he proceeds. Not me, you or anyone else.

Of course, he was simply asking advice which we have all given 🤷‍♂️

[Lloyd Adams]

Wow, thank you all so much for the answers and discussion, incredibly helpful.

 

In terms of use, the plan is to have a working bathroom and kitchenette, however it will not be a permanent sleeping space (though I may occasionally house guests on a sofa bed in there).

 

I suppose from the above, I would just need to ensure that this would be deemed to be the case when if a building inspector shows up unannounced? My understanding would be that I would not need to request an inspection as long as it fell within permitted development rights?

 

Many thanks for all the help!

[DevilDamo]

The “inspection” doesn’t have anything to do with Permitted Development rights. Inspections are carried out by Building Control and Permitted Development relates to Planning.

 

Be careful with what you are proposing as the addition of a Bathroom is now venturing into self-contained territory. This would trigger both Planning and Building Regulations.

[Temp]

+1

Couch bed, bathroom and kitchen. Pretty sure the planners would consider that capable of separate occupation. It's called a bedsit !

[joe90]

Use a sofa bed and argue it’s just a sofa, plus who is going to notice 🤷‍♂️