Want a Home Office or a Garden Gym/Studio? Do You Need Planning Permission?
Don Fidler • Nov 10, 2020
Want a Home Office or a Garden Gym/Studio? Do You Need Planning Permission?
Many more people are working from home nowadays. If sitting at your dining room table all day long is starting to lose some of its appeal or you are struggling to concentrate with pets and children around, then you might choose to buy garden office space to give you are more dedicated workplace. A home garden office can add value to properties as well as making it easier to be more productive. And you don't need to use them as an outdoor garden office only, either.
These days, insulated garden rooms can work as a garden studio building for artwork or making music just as much as serving as an office in the garden. You might even want a garden gym studio where you can workout at the weekend and shift back to a home garden office during the working week. All of this is possible with today's generation of quality garden offices but one thing tends to put people off the idea. Commonly this will come down to whether planning permission for office construction is needed.
Unfortunately, there is no one-word answer to this question. In some cases, a wooden garden office will not need planning consent but, in others, building an office in the garden will require permission to be granted before starting. The last thing you want is your garden office cost to go up because the local authority's planning inspectorate demand changes or for you to even pull down your wooden garden office completely. So, what do you need to know before you begin?
Where Do Planning Permission Rules Apply?
To begin with, the rules concerning outbuildings differ in the UK. What is allowed in England is not necessarily the same as what you can build in Wales, for example, although the basic rules are very similar. They differ a bit more in Scotland and Northern Ireland, too, so it is always worth checking with your local authority on what garden office planning consent might be needed. You are likely to find that you will be allowed to put up an outdoor garden office without needing prior consent so long as it is free-standing (not put on the side of your home's existing structure) and that it is not over 15 square metres in size. Even shepherd huts won't need garden office planning permission if they conform to this rule of thumb. Nevertheless, rules are interpreted differently by different local authorities, so phone your local planning permission office if you have any doubts before proceeding.
What Sort of Insulated Garden Rooms Can You Build Without Planning Permission?
In England and Wales, the planning portal
covers all aspects of planning permission for extensions, new builds, conversions and outbuildings, such as home garden offices. Along with the aforementioned rule about outbuildings – including garages, shepherds huts, sheds and garden offices – needing to be under 15 square metres to avoid planning permission, they must also provide no extra sleeping accommodation. In other words, so long as your building is only for use during the day to work in, to relax in, to workout in or to be creative in, you are okay. Of course, you could add sleeping accommodation or build a larger structure but this would necessarily mean applying for planning permission before starting. If you are tempted to chance it, then don't. The costs involved in putting things right can be prohibitive and you are likely to face a stiff fine to boot!
Furthermore, all outbuildings must be behind or to the side of the house if they are to avoid planning permission. This means that your office cannot jut out from the principal elevation of the building into your front garden or driveway, for example. The eaves of outbuildings are also restricted to a maximum height of 2.5 metres. No upper storeys are allowed, mainly to avoid the problem of hidden away sleeping accommodation, and this means you are restricted to a maximum height for the entire project of 4 metres. That said, these dimensions are more than adequate for most quality garden offices, so you should not be put off proceeding because of these minor restrictions.
Are There Planning Permission Rules For Granny Annexes As Well As Garden Studio Buildings?
The fact is that quality garden offices from a reputable supplier are so good that you could use them as accommodation. Just because modern ones are insulated and will keep you cosy even on a frosty morning in mid-winter does not mean you can use them as a granny annexe or as a semi-independent living space for a teenager, however. As mentioned, the planning rules are very different for living accommodation than they are for free-standing insulated garden rooms that are only used during the day. So, even if you keep a granny annexe under 15 square metres, you will still need planning consent to build it before it goes up. The key differentiator that planning inspectors will want to know about is whether there is something in the outbuilding that means it can be slept in, a bed or a sofa-bed being the most obvious examples.
So, you cannot turn your garden gym studio or office into a granny annexe even if you build it on a relatively modest scale. You can include, however, a proper workspace, electrical power, an internet connection, water supply and heating. None of these elements are considered to be something that would turn an office in the garden into living accommodation. In other words, you can make your studio and office very homely indeed without needing to worry about breaking planning permission rules. So long as you stick to the rules, your structure will not need to be altered down the line.
Why Is Meeting British Standards Important When You Buy Garden Offices?
If you want to improve the way you work from home, then there can be little doubt that the planning system in the UK is there to support you. So long as your garden studio building is of a relatively modest size and you don't try and extend your living quarters inappropriately using it as some sort of cover story, you can enjoy a superb working and relaxation space throughout the year. However, you should not compromise on garden office cost, either.
This is because garden offices need to be properly insulated, built with sustainable materials and remain secure when they are not in use. If not, you may as well just buy a shed and try working from inside it. If so, you will feel cold in winter, too hot in the summer and not have enough natural light coming in to be able to function productively. By contrast, outdoor garden offices that meet the British standard will provide a workspace that is conducive to work and that you can enjoy occupying when you are using it as a studio or home gym. What's more, you will be able to lock yours up without worrying about it being insecure when you return to your main residence in the evening.
Even better, when you buy a pre-designed office – even if you tweak the standard design here and there – you will have something you can be sure works well, that functions properly and that, above all, meets the requirements as laid out by the UK's various planning authorities.
Why not speak
to one of our experts today and order your Leisure building | office from Prior Leisure Buildings, in full confidence?
At Prior Products, customer satisfaction is a top priority. Their team of dedicated professionals works closely with customers to understand their unique needs and provide tailored solutions for their garden room offices. From initial consultation to installation and after-sales support, Prior Products ensures that customers receive the highest level of service throughout the entire process.
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