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Do summerhouses or garden offices need building regulations approval?
If you plan to put up a small, detached building like a garden shed, garden room, garden office, annexe or summerhouse (all classed as outbuildings), building regulations generally won’t apply if the building has a floor area under 15 square metres and does not include any sleeping accommodation.
For buildings with a floor area between 15 and 30 square metres, building regulations approval is usually not needed - as long as the building does not include sleeping accommodation and either:
- it is at least one metre away from any boundary, or
- it is built mainly from non-combustible materials.
Read more about the building regulations that apply to outbuildings.
Don't forget to check the permitted development rights for outbuildings.
Common Questions
Many trees are protected by Tree Preservation Orders (TPO) which means that, in general, you need the council's consent to prune or fell them.
A TPO is placed on a tree, group of trees or woodland with the aim of protecting them. The following is prohibited on a protected tree, without the local planning authority's (LPA) consent:
- Felling
- Topping
- Lopping
- Uprooting
- Wilful damage/destruction
Owners of the trees must maintain their trees, and an LPA will often encourage good tree management. However, they are unable to require maintenance work just because a tree falls under a TPO.
If you wish to complete work on a tree under a TPO you will be required to submit an application to the local planning authority. For full details on this application type, read guidance about works to trees and the application process.
To qualify as permitted development some household building work projects – notably extending a house – must not exceed limits to the volume being added.
In England, the volume allowance mostly applies to loft conversions. You can read more on the Planning Portal.
Use the volume calculator to find out the volume of several loft conversion and extension types.
Planning permission is not required for the installation of a stair lift, however, if you live in a listed building, you will have to apply for listed building consent for any significant works, whether internal or external.
Stairlifts must be installed in line with BS EN 81-40:2020 which focuses on safety requirements for the installation of stairlifts.
The conversion of a garage, or part of a garage, into habitable space, will normally require approval under the building regulations.
As part of the garage conversion, it is likely that the original garage door will be in-filled with a new wall and possibly a window or door, and a new foundation may be needed for the new wall.
As well as the foundation, you also need to consider:
- Floor
- Walls
- Ventilation
Read more about the building regulations for garage conversions
A garden gazebo or freestanding awning will often fall under permitted development rights provided it abides by the restrictions set out by government. In this instance a garden gazebo or freestanding awning will be classed as an outbuilding and should not be in front of the house or more than 2.5 metres in height.
Different rules apply if the awning is attached to the house itself. It may still be permitted development, but falls under the class of enlargement, improvement or alteration.
Read more information including the full list of rules for outbuildings
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