From October 1, the rules regarding outbuildings (which I assume to include garden offices) are changing in the UK - and it looks like for the better. As Emma reports at Enterprise Nation, this means that planning permission will no longer be required (subject to various conditions). Here's what they say: "Rules governing outbuildings apply to sheds, greenhouses and garages as well as other ancillary garden buildings... and many other kinds of structure for a purpose incidental to the enjoyment of the dwellinghouse. From 1 October 2008 outbuildings will be considered to be permitted development, not needing planning permission, subject to the following limits and conditions:It then goes on to talk about Building Regulations and Outbuildings:
* No outbuilding forward of the principal elevation fronting a highway.
* Outbuildings and garages to be single storey with maximum eaves height of 2.5 metres and maximum overall height of four metres with a dual pitched roof or three metres for any other roof.
* Maximum height 2.5 metres within two metres of a boundary.
* No verandas, balconies or raised platforms.
* More than half the area of land around the "original house"* would be covered by additions or other buildings.
* In National Parks, the Broads, Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty and World Heritage Sites the maximum area to be covered by buildings, enclosures, containers and pools more than 20 metres from house to be limited to 10 square metres.
* On designated land buildings, enclosures, containers and pools at the side of properties will require planning permission.
* Within the curtilage of listed buildings any outbuilding will require planning permission.
"If you want to put up small detached buildings such as a garden shed or summerhouse in your garden, building regulations will not normally apply if the floor area of the building is less than 15 square metres.More details at the Planning Portal.
If the floor area of the building is between 15 square metres and 30 square metres, you will not normally be required to apply for building regulations approval providing that the building is either at least one metre from any boundary or it is constructed of substantially non-combustible materials.
In both cases, building regulations do not apply ONLY if the building does not contain any sleeping accommodation."
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5 comments:
Any ideas what this means to people who live in conservation areas? I'm guessing there is still a need to apply ...
No, I don't know how this affects you (I should say 'us' as I live in one too). I think it's always best to check because officers are very touchy when it comes to conservation areas. But my feeling is that since they're relaxing these rules, then there might well be a knock-on effect.
Hi Alex,
The way we see it the changes to the order are bad news for our business. Most of our customers do not have the luxury of huge gardens and seek to squeeze a log cabin between boundaries or at least put the cabin near a boundary so there is a bit of lawn left for a game of football. The new rules particularly "2.5 metres high must be 2 metres from a boundary" means that I suspect 95% of our customers will need planning permission unless they stick the cabin smack bang in the middle of the garden. The extra costs of getting drawings submitted and planning fees is likely to seriously reduce customer enquiries. So as far as relaxing planning rules goes I'm far from relaxed! and have already sent a letter outlining my concerns to Hazel Blears whose name is on the revised order. The only slight relief coming from north of the border is that these proposals only affect England but as a nationwide installer with regular installations in England it really isnt much of a relief.
Keep up the good work. Its always a good read.
Regards
Fraser
Cabin Living
My garden runs only at the side of my property, i.e between the house and the highway, with no back or front aspect. It is totally enclosed by a 3.5 - 4 metre high wall. The wording re 'No outbuildings forward of the prnciple elevation fronting a highway' begs the following questions.a) Does that apply, as the proposed summerhouse will be nearer the road than our house as ALL of our garden is? And if so does that mean we wouldn't be allowed any new garden buildings under the new rules? b) What does 'fronting' really mean? Our proposed summerhouse won't be fronting the highway as such as it will be totally obscured/concealed by the 4m wall. Or doesn't that make any difference? Many thanks Wendy
The way I see it is that there are too many laws and regs. Its our garden and our land so why don't they just leave us alone. Please Brown, Drown..
http://logcabins.lv
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