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This is one of the questions that our experts here at Haon Garden Rooms get asked regularly and probably the most important thing to consider when carrying out any research.
The increased popularity we have seen recently with customers wanting to upgrade their homes with the addition of a bespoke garden room has caused some concern within the garden room industry.
A lack of understanding of planning permission and local building regulations can sometimes seem a little daunting at first.
Whilst most garden rooms are considered as outbuildings and fall within permitted development, many homeowners feel that they can use their garden rooms for whatever purpose they like.
However, you must still meet certain usage regulations to comply with local rules and regulations.
With that in mind, we are going to take a look at the regulations around outbuildings, specifically, garden rooms.
But first let’s understand what a garden room is and how they are very different to a typical outbuilding or shed.
Unlike a garden shed, garden rooms have a much larger footprint and come fully insulated and plastered for that extra room in the house feeling but in the garden.
In fact, we have designed and built garden rooms for some of our clients with significant internal floor space which does add more complexity in the design stages.
With full insulation in the walls and roof space, they are rooms which can be comfortably used and enjoyed all year round.
Therefore, planning does need to be considered to make sure that there are no nasty surprises down the line!
More often than not though, garden rooms fall within the permitted development as long as it meets certain criteria.
Permitted development is a scheme introduced by the Government in 2020
It allows you to improve, extend or renovate your home without the need to apply for planning permission where that would be out of proportion with the impact of works carried out.
If the garden room or outbuilding is used for a purpose that is incidental to the enjoyment of the house you live in, it is more often than not considered permitted development.
This means that you can perform certain types of work without needing to apply for planning permission.
The government created a series of rules and regulations regarding outbuildings such as sheds, playhouses, greenhouses, garages, garden rooms, and more.
In some areas of the country, known generally as ‘designated areas’, permitted development rights are more restricted and further consideration is needed in National Parks, the Broads, areas of outstanding natural beauty and World Heritage Sites.
To add further complexities, within the grounds of a listed building any outbuilding will require planning permission and all flats, apartments, maisonettes, and tenements don’t have permitted development rights.
The size and positioning of your garden room will also determine whether it would need to comply with buildings regulations.
As you can see, there is a lot of thought and consideration that goes into having a garden room built on your property.
Of course, if you wanted to build a garden room that does fall outside the scope of permitted development then we can assist you with the necessary planning application to make the process as smooth and painless as possible.
However, to ensure that your garden room is built properly and that it meets all planning and regulation requirements, we would always recommend choosing a reputable garden room design and building service such as Haon Garden Rooms.
To learn more, contact Haon Garden Rooms today and speak with a garden room design expert who can answer any questions you might have.