I think permitted development allows the building to be built, but there are all kinds of restrictions about how it can be used. You can't do anything commercial and if you are causing a "nuisance" by running power tools 8 hours a day in a building that isn't noise-proof or doing work that results in foul smells or sending smoke or dust out into the atmosphere, they will have reason to complain and get an enforcement notice.
In other words, you might be able to build it, but if you do any kind of activity that such a building might be built for, then the council can stop you using it.
I would say it's a pretty high risk project
I would agree - and there is a challenge in knowing where boundaries sit between hobby / personal use / commercial - and where commercial would require a change of use, personal or hobby use would not - yet there is no reason why a hobby use shouldn't use exactly the same machines as a commercial outfit - perhaps there will be a difference in not having lorries arriving to unload / load items etc. - but the noise from machines could be the same...
however I think that if the OP were to build this (and based on simply the legal position, not whether it is friendly to neighbours or not), then it could be challenging for neighbours to stop it - noise and pollution can both be an issue, but can also take long battles to enforce and the council has some powers but not absolute...
Peter that's 9x7m, the proposal by the OP is 28m x 8.5m, 4 times bigger.
I can't believe anyone thinks this is going to be allowed, any money spent on planners, applications is a pure waste of time.
If it falls under permitted development, then why would it not be allowed - the OP can (having bought the house) just crack on - he would need to notify building control - usually in advance, though there is a process for doing it retrospectively, and with the scale of it, you can expect that they might mention it to planning... but permitted development does allow you to build over 50% of your plot outside the footprint of the original house... (so any extensions come off that amount first)
the link I gave earlier is to a government partnership website offering guidance...
more detail can be found here:
https://assets.publishing.service.g...e/830643/190910_Tech_Guide_for_publishing.pdf
Class E is the relevant class whose conditions need to be met and that does start with:
41 Class E – buildings etc This provides permitted development rights within the curtilage of a house for: (a)any building or enclosure, swimming or other pool required for a purpose incidental to the enjoyment of the dwellinghouse as such, or the maintenance, improvement or other alteration of such a building or enclosure; or
the key here is purpose incidental to the enjoyment of the dwellinghouse - so hobby use = okay / commercial is not = planning needed... if the OP is confident he can prove that space is for hobby, then he shouldn't have an issue... but I suspect he will have a discussion at the very least...
I think that there is an instinctive reaction which is perhaps horrified at the idea of large buildings with tools in a residential area - but that doesn't mean that it isn't allowed - it is remarkable actually what is allowed under PD.
To give one example - I know someone who owns / keeps / restores full size steam engines in what is effectively an agricultural barn in the garden of their bungalow... needs quite a large building to do that - and totally hobby, not commercial. I know someone else building his own aeroplane... we are a nation which allows for a certain degree of eccentricity and not having everyone exactly the same...
- ultimately measurements are presumably rough until the house is owned and the OP has something accurate to measure with - I wouldn’t base anything on estate agent’s details!
