The other day someone was picking our brain regarding Planning Permission and garden offices. The question they asked was “Do I need to apply for Planning Permission to build a garden office?” and its a question each and every reader of this site should ask themselves.
They had read several times on supplier websites the term ‘Planning Permission Not Required’ they hadn’t read the small print that says ‘in most cases’. You see in many cases a garden office can be built under the Permitted Development rules.
But…
Whether you can build a garden office under Permitted Development depends on where you live, the size and shape of your proposed building, where you are siting it in your garden and what you plan to use it for.
In our conversation the reader suddenly dropped into the conversation that they live in a Conservation Area. Our immediate response was – you are going to need Planning Permission for whatever you build.
Oh! Perhaps I won’t bother…
The thought of applying for Planning Permission put the reader off the idea of a garden office, they saw it as too much hassle. We tried to explain that this needn’t be the case. In many cases your garden office supplier will handle the application for you. If they don’t actually handle the application on your behalf they will supply you with all the information you need to make the application yourself i.e. the plans and specification details.
Its interesting to note that many of the garden office suppliers we talk to tell us they have a nigh on 100% success rate when it comes to Planning Permission, so negative outcomes are not the norm.
Its really not that painful…
If your circumstances dictate that your garden office needs a planning application, don’t be daunted, its really not that painful a process. Yes it will add a few weeks on to the lead time before your office arrives on-site and there is a fee of just under £200. But, as we say a good garden office supplier will guide your through the process and use their experience to ensure a successful application.