Garden room

[Jonnyx]

Hi all, This is my first post so bear with me. Planning a garden room and looking into permitted development rules as I don’t want to go through planning. With regards to dimensions am I correct in thinking that you can go to a max of 30sq meters internally without planning or is that a building control matter?

[mjc55]

30 sq. m. Is related to building control, not planning.  And that is dependant on proximity to boundaries and construction type.

[Jonnyx]

Thanks for that so building control says 30 square meters max otherwise?   Is there a max re. permitted development on the planning side?

[Jonnyx]

Sorry just to add it will be 2meters from any boundary and timber construction on insulated concrete pad.

[Big Jimbo]

With permitted development it is max 50% of your curtilage to have buildings. House, shed garage, oubuildings etc. There are other rules about not being forward of the principal elevation etc + distance to boundary depending on flamability of materials used. Height in relation to roof type.Pitched or flat.

So you can build bigger than 30 square meters, but if you do, you will need to comply with building regulations.

[Jonnyx]

OK so this is making sense 30 sqm or larger requires building control regs and from a planning perspective no more than 50% of the curtilage. My plan is for an internal space of 30sqm double pitched roof to 4meters , 2.5 m to the eaves and 2m from the boundary using non combustible cladding ie steel. Will a timber frame be acceptable sitting on insulated concrete pad? The room will primarily be used as a craft room studio but with occasional sleeping for guests using a wall bed. I will be adding a small sower room and separate composting loo.

I imagine this will need further building regs ? Any pointers and advice would be welcomed.

[andyscotland]

It's worth confirming which part of the UK you are in as the rules are subtly different in each country.

 

For example in Scotland as soon as there's any sort of toilet/shower etc the structure requires building warrant approval regardless of size. Not sure if that applies elsewhere.

[Jonnyx]

Hi, it’s in Devon.

[Mr Punter]

Regarding the proposed use, the PD guide says "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."

[Jonnyx]

That’s all sounds good just out of interest what would make it non incidental to the house in other words to be seen as separate dwelling?

[Big Jimbo]

My own thoughts are that councils overstep the mark if we allow them to. I can't see any reason not to have a toilet, shower, and sink, and a basic kitchen. I think the problems might kick in if you put sleeping (bed) in.

I had a council visit to my posh shed, which has a bathroom, and a kitchen. It also has a pull down bed, (although that was up at the time of the visit. As i said to the council, if i want to use it as a gym, i need a toilet and shower. If i want to use it as a cinema, i need to be able to get a cold drink, make tea, heat a sausage roll, make popcorn etc. They agreed with me, and were far more interested in trying to find out how much i could build them One for.

[Gone West]

29 minutes ago, Big Jimbo said:

I can't see any reason not to have a toilet, shower, and sink, and a basic kitchen. I think the problems might kick in if you put sleeping (bed) in.

It all depends on what they find out. A previous neighbour converted the end of his garage into a bedsit with LPG heating, shower, toilet and bedroom for his family to use when they came over. No planning or building control and he did a very neat job.

[Jonnyx]

I don’t wish to circumvent any rules and will carryout all necessary regulations, just need a better understanding of what is and isn’t deemed acceptable without the need for planning but compliant with building control.