Rules concerning building workshops in the garden

[johnelliott]

Just wondering if it would be feasible to buy a house with a decent sized garden and construct a wooden? workshop in the garden. Although it would seem safe to assume that some of the rules vary depending on the locality, perhaps there are some general rules?
All advice appreciated
I would be thinking of maybe 250 sq ft as a minimum
John

 

[Anonymous]

You have two choices, build and hope mr planning does not find out or ask him.

He will only say yes or no.

Although, he could find something wrong with your house plans and make you knock it down :shock:

 

[trevtheturner]

John,

Your local authority (council) Planning Dept. should be able to supply you with a booklet which will give you the general guidelines for your area. If your workshop were to be constructed as a 'sectional building' and complied with local guidelines, (distance from road and from house may be examples) then it is unlikely that you would need planning permission.

Well worth obtaining the booklet for starters. Sorry I can't be more specific but, as you say, local 'rules' can vary somewhat.

Cheers,

Trev.

 

[jasonB]

If I remember right to build without planning your structure must be at least 5.0m from the house and no more than 3.5m tall (4.0m if pitched roof) There are also distances from roads & boundaries to consider.

Jason

 

[ike]

Some other general points (I'm sure there's some more): If you satisfy any of the following, planning permission is not normally needed . Even if you are certain that your plans are OK, it's still a good idea to chat to the planning dept as they are usually extremely helpful.

Roof height as mentioned above.

If less than 1 metre from any boundary, then must be of fire resistant construction.

Max. volume 60 cu m (outside dimensions including roof space). 50 cu m in AONB.

If in an AONB, strictly speaking, any building requires permission, even a sectional shed or greenhouse (daft innit?)

Must not exceed 50% of volume of original building (so you can't include any extensions or later outbuildings in that figure).

Ike

 

[Aragorn]

Hi John
I built my workshop in the garden. It is 260ft², wooden construction, flat roof.
If I owned the whole house I would not have needed permission, but as I live in a flat, I did. The restrictions here in Sussex are maximum heights for flat and pitched roof structures, and the total area of the structure must be within a specific percentage of the whole area of the entire plot that you own.
This percentage was high - I could have built a workshop over my entire garden! There were no restrictions regarding proximity to the boundry walls or anything like that.
My local planning office were very helpful at the beginning stages of working out what I could have. I remember being very surprised at how much I was allowed to build without permission if I owned the whole house!
Regs will no doubt be different where you are, but I'd recommend putting together an idea of what you think you'd like, making up some simple drawings of the entire plot and then making an appointment with a planning officer to discuss the options, whether or not you'll need permission and what restrictions apply to you.

 

[Jorden]

Hi John

I extended my garden workshop this year, and decided to follow the rules and submit a plan to the local authority in Leicestershire. What I found was that as long as the structure is in the back garden, more than 1 meter from the house or any boundary, and occupies 30 sq meters or less, planning permission is not required. However, if the internal floor area of the structure exceeds 15 sq meters its structure becomes subject to building control, requiring them to approve the structural plans and visit site to inspect works, and of course present a hefty bill. :evil:

What I did find was that the planning people are actually approachable, and able to offer advice. I suggest if you do talk to them use the term 'garden shed' not workshop :roll:

Dennis

 

[Anonymous]

hi
about threeyears ago i built my own workshop along the boundary wall back to back with my neighbours its the width of our garden which is 24 ft x 10 ft and effects four of my neighbours .made of concrete with a felt flat roof and double glazing it is in effect a granny flat, it's one hell of a eyesore and the only planning i had ,was to ask the neighbours if they objected ,but i didn't tell them, that my intension was to work from home, i have since filled with machinery i try to keep the noise too a minimum,but i have overheard the neighbours chewing the fat, and it seems they would have never agreed if they had known.i live in constant fear that my beloved shed be pulled from under my feet, so my advise is to get the nessary planning .
also i am thinking about selling my house ive out grown the workshop it already doubles has a glass studio and i need back access i am left wondering if i sell up will some relevant body find out

 

[Aragorn]

... it's one hell of a eyesore and the only planning i had ,was to ask the neighbours if they objected ,but i didn't tell them, that my intension was to work from home ...

You do like you neighbours, right BD? :wink: :roll:

 

[Mdotflorida]

i am left wondering if i sell up will some relevant body find out

Unfortunately, selling up is probably the exact time that it will jump up and bite you. If it needed planning permission in the first place, the buyers solicitors will almost certainly be looking for documented proof that you had it. If not then they may request that you apply for retrospective permission.

Jeff

 

[Anonymous]

hi Aragorn
i dunno not seen them in three years

 

[Alf]

my intension was to work from home

Which raises a question; are things different if you're going to run a business from it?

Cheers, Alf

 

[Aragorn]

... are things different if you're going to run a business from it?

Absolutely - this needs express permission to do it legally without the worry of having to shut up shop.
One way to work it is to make sure the "workshop" is a "shed" and that it's not a commercial thing. Get the neighbours on your side and hope to high heaven!

 

[Adam]

i have since filled with machinery i try to keep the noise too a minimum,but i have overheard the neighbours chewing the fat, and it seems they would have never agreed if they had known.i live in constant fear that my beloved shed be pulled from under my feet, so my advise is to get the nessary planning .

Me too, although my workshop is timber, so strictly speaking is a "garden shed". However it's about 1 foot from the boundary, and about 1.5 meters from the neighbours house. I always worry about them making an official complaint to the council about noise, given they have officially complained about nearly everyone else down the street, inc. barking dogs, the binmen collecting our rubbish down the back alley, etc etc. I regularly check they aren't unhappy about the noise, (which they aren't) but they have mentioned if I run the table saw or the planer thicknesser, the vibration is transmitted through the (carpeted) shed floor, through the runners it sits on, through the patio stones, through the sand/aggregate into the chalk soil, across the alleyway and into their house foundations and they can feel it in their house.

Needless to say, I do my best to minimise the saw/planer operations to reasonable hours!

Adam :?

 

[Alan L]

John, I have been thinking along the same lines as you. The info I have gathered would indicate due to the size you want you would require some sort of permission.

This site would imply you would be OK up 160 square foot. http://www.diydata.com/planning/planreg ... s.htm#shed

Ultimately the only way to be sure is to phone your local authority.

Out of interest are you planning on building to you own plans or did you purchase some? I have been looking at various web sites & books and formulated my own plans just need to put them down on paper. Would you be interested in comparing notes.

I hope to get my workshop underway as soon as the weather starts to get a bit warmer.

 

[Alan L]

This web site has some interesting info:

http://www.planningportal.gov.uk

This would suggest that size is not a problem as longs as it is not bigger than 1/2 the area of the garden and that it falls within all the boundary limits.

Alan.