Garden workshop - planning permission

[Jester129]

Stupid question (because I am sometimes as stupid as I look): Is it acceptable to simply buy a huge shed of say 20' x 18' and plonk it down in your garden? It is just a shed, but a big f*** - a very large one!!

 

[deema]

I might be wrong, but as I understand it, as long as you’d not taking up more than 50% of your back garden, within a conservation area, within a certain distance of any boundary a shed over certain size needs permitted development approval which is a rubber stamp exercise.

 

[John Brown]

I might be wrong, but as I understand it, as long as you’d not taking up more than 50% of your back garden, within a conservation area, within a certain distance of any boundary a shed over certain size needs permitted development approval which is a rubber stamp exercise.

About right, as far as I know. If you Google "permitted development", you should find the low down.
In my case, because we're in a conservation area, an area of outstanding natural beauty, and I wanted the shed in the paddock, which is designated agricultural land, I had to do a full planning application, complete with heritage and access statement.

 

[Jester129]

Folks, thanks for the advice. I am about to plough through the .govuk permitted development notes. Thanks again.

 

[MikeJhn]

Farmers old ruse was to put up a pig sty under permitted development for agricultural land and then apply for change of use.

 

[Jake]

I might be wrong, but as I understand it, as long as you’d not taking up more than 50% of your back garden, within a conservation area, within a certain distance of any boundary a shed over certain size needs permitted development approval which is a rubber stamp exercise.

To split hairs a bit it doesn't technically need any approval, it's just permitted. But the Certificate of Lawful Development you can apply for takes the risk of potential enforcement action off the table by getting the planning authority's agreement that it is indeed permitted development.

 

[andy gray]

I’m almost finished building my new workshop under permitted development. It’s 2.5m to the eves and 4m to the apex. I’m a similar height to you, and it offers plenty of headroom.
https://www.ukworkshop.co.uk/threads/new-house-new-workshop-build.142370/

Is there a limit to the floor size at all ? As long as it stays within permitted height requirements

 

[deema]

Is there a limit to the floor size at all ? As long as it stays within permitted height requirements

I’m no expert in these things. My workshop foot print is 1,500sqft, and was only limited by the roof span which was limited to meet the height restriction and achieve the minimal angle for my selected roof tile. As I understood from the architect, it could have been any size if I’d wanted it to be as long as it didn’t cover more than a certain percentage of my garden. In my case that wasn’t a restriction.

 

[Jake]

Deema is right for planning permission, for a detached single story outbuilding the main restrictions are on height (because that is what imposes on neighbours), purpose (must be incidental to dwelling in the house and can't itself be for dwelling in) and 50% of the original curtilage (the 50% includes all additions to the house and existing structures, but the area of the original* dwelling isn't counted). The structure also can't be in front of the dwelling, it all has to all be to the rear of the front elevation of the dwelling.

*I assume original means in 1950-something when the planning act first came in, as that is how it usually works but I haven't checked.

Building regs has internal floor area triggers - less than 15m2 is totally exempt with no conditions, between 15m2 and 30m2 is exempt provided that it is built from fire-proof materials if it is close to the boundary.