Don’t Take Risks When Building a Garden Room
Updated: 14 September 2024
Reading Time: 2 minutes 11 seconds
We recently spoke with a garden gym buyer who shared his experience when seeking advice from several garden room companies. His story highlights the importance of understanding planning permission requirements and not simply trusting every company’s advice, especially with so many new entrants to the market.
A Conversation with a Garden Gym Buyer
The buyer wanted to build a garden gym with a height of 2.8 metres to allow extra headroom for his workout equipment. He also planned to position the gym close to the boundaries of his garden to maximise the space available. A fairly typical request.
Having done his research, the buyer knew that Permitted Development rules state that any garden building taller than 2.5 metres must be at least 2 metres from the boundary. After reading the guidelines on the Planning Portal, he was aware that a full planning application would be required for his project.
Prepared to go through the process, he contacted several garden room companies, hoping for guidance—particularly from companies that could handle the planning application as part of the service.
However, to his surprise, a couple of the companies he spoke to advised him not to worry about making the planning application and to simply go ahead and build. Others, keen to secure the order, either downplayed the need for permission or said they wouldn’t accept the project if it required planning approval.
This advice made him uneasy, especially as some of the companies appeared to lack the necessary experience with planning regulations. Trusting his instincts, he decided not to proceed with those companies and instead reached out to us for recommendations of companies experienced in building taller-than-standard garden rooms and handling the planning approval process. He was determined not to invest time and thousands of pounds into a project that might not be legal.
Don’t Make an Expensive Mistake
This buyer’s experience is a reminder that failing to follow planning regulations when building a garden room can lead to significant consequences. In the worst-case scenario, you could be forced to take the building down, losing your entire investment.
While garden room companies can offer advice on planning permission, the ultimate responsibility lies with you, the homeowner.
That’s why many buyers choose to confirm their project’s legality by applying for a Certificate of Lawful Development from their Local Authority. This certificate verifies that your garden room complies with Permitted Development rules and provides peace of mind. It can also be useful when selling your house, as solicitors may request it during the conveyancing process.
You can apply for this certificate yourself, though some companies will handle the application for you.
If building under Permitted Development isn’t an option and a full planning application is required, experienced garden room companies will have systems in place to help you. They might either make the application on your behalf or put you in touch with a planning specialist.
At the very least, they should provide you with the information you need to make the application yourself, which is usually a straightforward process.
No reputable garden room company should advise you to ignore planning rules for the sake of a quick sale. It’s always best to ensure everything is done properly from the outset.
