HAWKSBECK PLANNING PERMISSION SERVICE

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Thinking of adding a stunning garden room to your home but unsure where to start with planning permission? At Hawksbeck Garden Rooms, we’ve got you covered with our expert Permitted Development and Planning Application Service, ensuring your garden room project is smooth, stress-free, and fully compliant from day one.

What Is Permitted Development?

In many cases, garden rooms fall under Permitted Development Rights (PDR), meaning you don’t need formal planning permission to build them. This is great news for homeowners looking to add an office, gym, studio, or additional living space without lengthy application processes. However, permitted development comes with specific conditions and limitations that must be met, and that’s where our expertise comes in.

What Is a Certificate of Lawful Development?

If your garden room falls under permitted development rights, at Hawksbeck we recommend applying for a certificate of lawful development. It is issued by the council and is confirmation that you garden room is lawful and that planning permission is not required. At Hawksbeck we submit applications regularly for our clients.

Do You Need Planning Permission?

Garden rooms often meet the conditions for permitted development, but specific rules apply, including:

  • The garden room must be single-storey and not exceed a height of 2.5m if located within 2m of your boundary.
  • The structure cannot take up more than 50% of your garden area, including other outbuildings.
  • It must be incidental to the main house, meaning it cannot be used as self-contained accommodation.

In some cases, such as listed buildings or properties in conservation areas, permitted development rights may not apply, and planning permission might be necessary. If that’s the case, we’re fully equipped to guide you through the planning process.

Hawksbeck provides a full planning service to ensure your garden room meets all the legal requirements, giving you complete peace of mind. Whether your project fits under permitted development or requires formal planning permission, we take care of everything for you, so you don’t have to.

Why Choose Hawksbeck’s Planning Service?

Navigating planning regulations can be daunting, but our dedicated team makes it easy:

  • Expert Assessments: We assess your property and garden to confirm if your garden room qualifies under Permitted Development or requires a formal application.
  • All Paperwork Handled: We prepare and submit all necessary documents to local authorities, managing the entire process from start to finish.
  • Clear Advice: Our team provides honest, transparent advice about any restrictions, helping you make informed decisions.
  • Time-Saving Solutions: By managing planning requirements upfront, we streamline your project, saving you time and avoiding delays.

A Complete Service for Peace of Mind

At Hawksbeck, we’re not just experts in creating beautiful, bespoke garden rooms – we’re here to simplify the entire process for you. Our planning service is included as part of your project, ensuring a seamless journey from concept to completion.

Whether you’re dreaming of a stylish home office, private gym, creative studio, or luxury retreat, we’ve got everything covered:

  • Full planning and permitted development support
  • Designs tailored to your vision and property
  • Stress-free service from start to finish

Tailored Design for Every Property

Planning permission is just one part of the journey, and we’re here to make it stress-free. From concept to completion, our goal is to deliver a garden room that exceeds your expectations, all while ensuring a smooth approval process.

For more information on our Planning Permission Service or to discuss your project, contact our expert team today. Call us on 01277 414 586 or email us at info@hawksbeckgardenrooms.co.uk.

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FAQ

Permitted development refers to certain types of building works and changes of use that can be carried out without needing to apply for planning permission, because they are automatically granted by the Town and Country Planning (General Permitted Development) (England) Order 2015.

Class E allows householders to build or install certain structures within the garden or curtilage of their house without needing planning permission. These include:

  • Garden Rooms
  • Home offices or gyms (non-residential)
  • Swimming pools and enclosures
  • Out buildings

The rules for permitted development under class E for garden rooms are:

  • The garden room is single storey, with a maximum height of:
    • 2.5m if it’s within 2m of a boundary
    • 4m with a dual-pitched roof or 3m for any other roof if further from the boundary
  • It does not take up more than 50% of your garden space
  • It is not used as a separate dwelling (i.e., not lived in full-time)
  • It is not in front of the principal elevation of the house
  • You’re not in a conservation area, national park, (AONB), Listed Building, flat/maisonette (any property with a flat or maisonette status regardless of freehold or leasehold ownership will require planning), or similar designated land (in which case rules are stricter)

We recommend to all clients to apply for a certificate of lawful development. This gives confirmation that your garden room is lawful and meets permitted development rights. Hawksbeck can help you with the application. It’s very straightforward, and we have a very successful record in achieving planning permission for our clients.

In most cases, you do not need building regulations for a garden room. However, there are several important exceptions and conditions to be aware of:

  • The internal floor area is over 15m² and it’s within 1 metre of a boundary
  • The building is over 30m²
  • It’s used for sleeping/living accommodation (e.g., an annexe)

Under permitted development you can build to the boundary of your property. But, if the building is within 2 metres of any property boundary, its maximum height must not exceed 2.5 metres (measured from the ground).

Also, building regulations are required if the floor area of the building is over 15 square metres and it is within 1 metre of the boundary, and it is made of combustible materials (e.g. timber).

Hawksbeck manufactures all of our garden rooms to comply with building regulations and can install their rooms within 1m of the boundary.

  • The maximum height for a single storey garden room is:
    • 2.5m if it’s within 2m of a property boundary
    • 4m with a dual-pitched roof or 3m for any other roof if further from the boundary
  • It does not take up more than 50% of your garden space

  1. Conservation Areas

Permitted Development (PD) rights are more restricted in conservation areas to preserve their special character.

You can still build a garden room under Permitted Development, but:

  • It must not be forward of the principal elevation (i.e. not in the front garden) and must not be in front of the rear line of the property (i.e. directly off to the side of the house)
  • It must comply strictly with Class E limits:
    • Not more than 2.5m high if within 2m of a boundary.
    • Total area of all outbuildings must not exceed 50% of the garden (excluding the house footprint).
  • No verandas, balconies, or raised platforms are allowed.
  • No cladding in materials not in keeping with the area (especially in Article 4 Direction areas—see below).

Check for an Article 4 Direction:

  • All conservation areas have an Article 4 restriction that removes some Permitted Development rights, but others remove all Permitted Development rights.
  • If Article 4 removes all Permitted Development rights, you will need planning permission even for a basic garden room.
  1. Listed Buildings

You always need planning permission to build a garden room within the curtilage of a listed building, even if it would otherwise be allowed under Permitted Development.

Key Points:

  • Permitted Development rights do not apply to any structure within the curtilage of a listed building.
  • You may also need Listed Building Consent, especially if:
    • The garden room is physically connected to the listed building.
    • The work affects the setting, views, or context of the listed building.
  1. Flats and Maisonettes

Similar to listed buildings, flats and maisonettes have no permitted development rights.

This is the case regardless of whether you own the freehold for the property, or the garden is registered separately. Any land that is adjoined onto a flat has all permitted development rights removed.