When deciding to put a log cabin, shed, or garden building in the grounds of your house, you will need to consider whether it will need planning permission or not. In most cases, a building can be put in your garden without applying for planning permission as long as it satisfies certain Permitted Development rules.
To help you through these rules and regulations, we’ve put together our “Quick Guide to Permitted Development”. Simply work your way through all the questions answering yes or no to find out whether you can go right ahead with your project or if you need to apply for planning permission.
Prefer to talk to a planning expert in person? Book a call with one of our Planning Managers via the form below:
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What is designated land? Designated land includes National parks and the Broads, Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty, conservation areas and World Heritage Sites. On designated land outbuildings to the side of the house are not permitted development. We would advise you to consult your local planning department as there may be other restrictions.
Ok, so you are going to need to apply for planning permission. We suggest you talk to your local planning officer. The advantage of course, is that you can put in plans for your ideal log cabin without compromising on style or layout which you might have done trying to comply with permitted development rules. Gaining planning permission is a lot easier than people imagine and is granted in most cases. It costs around £150 and adds a few more weeks to the process but a ‘yes’ result will be well worth it.
In national parks, the Broads, Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty and World Heritage Sites the total area to be covered by any outbuildings more than 20 metres from ANY WALL of the house must not exceed 10 square metres to be permitted development.
Outbuildings are not permitted development within the grounds of a listed building.
Outbuildings are not permitted development forward of the principle elevation of the original house. The term original house means the house as it stood on July 1st 1948, if it was built before that date.
Outbuildings must be single storey to comply with permitted development rules.
The maximum eaves height of outbuildings should not exceed 2.5 metres.
Outbuildings must have a maximum overall height of 4 metres with a dual pitched roof or 3 metres in any other case.
If the outbuilding is within 2 metres of the property boundary the whole building should not exceed 2.5 metres in height.
Outbuildings and other additions must not exceed 50% or half of the total area of land around the original house. Sheds and all other outbuildings and extensions must be included when calculating the 50% limit.
Balconies and verandas are not permitted development.
Raised platforms such as decking are permitted development provided they are no higher than 300mm.
To be permitted development, any new building must not itself be separate, self-contained, living accommodation and must not have a microwave antenna.
If you’ve answered all the questions correctly then you should be able to put your new log cabin in your garden under permitted development without applying for planning permission! However, if you have any doubts at all, we suggest you pop along and have a chat with your local planning officer.
