Chartered Town Planner · MRTPI

Garden Room, Garden Office, Shed & Outbuilding Planning Permission

We prepare and submit the full planning application for your garden room, garden office, shed or outbuilding — drawings, planning statement, forms and submission — written by a Chartered Town Planner who knows what councils approve and what they don't. Fixed fees from £395 + VAT.

✓ Free interactive checker ✓ All-inclusive fixed fee ✓ Drawings + planning statement ✓ UK-wide service
Get a free planning check
No obligation. A Chartered Town Planner will tell you whether your build needs permission.

Or email: hello@gardenroomplanningpermission.co.uk

from £395
Fixed fee + VAT
7
Working day turnaround
MRTPI
Chartered Town Planner
UK
Nationwide service
Free Checker

Do You Need Planning Permission?

Garden room, garden office, shed or outbuilding — find out in under 2 minutes.

What type of property is this for?

Permitted development rights for outbuildings only apply to dwellinghouses. Flats are excluded by law.

Where would the structure go?

Even though flats don't have permitted development rights for outbuildings, we'd like to understand your proposal so we can advise on the best route for a planning application.

What type of development are you considering?

Tell us a bit more so we can advise on the planning application route and likely prospects.

What are the approximate dimensions?

Don't worry if you're not sure yet — rough figures are fine at this stage.

Enter the postcode or address

Enter the property postcode and we'll automatically check the national planning constraint maps for conservation areas, national parks, listed buildings, Article 4 directions, Green Belt and other designations that affect permitted development.

Checking planning.data.gov.uk…

Where on the plot will the structure be built?

This is one of the most critical factors. Structures forward of the principal elevation are not permitted development.

Size & distance from boundaries

Under Class E of the GPDO 2015, the maximum permitted height depends on roof type and distance from boundaries. The total area covered by outbuildings must not exceed 50% of the curtilage (the land around the original house).

The eaves height is the point where the wall meets the underside of the roof. If the structure sits on a raised platform, decking or base, include that in the measurement — measure from ground level up to the eaves.

Will more than 50% of the garden remain as open space?

Include front, side and rear gardens. The total ground area covered by all outbuildings (excluding the original house) must not exceed 50% of the total curtilage.

Distance from the nearest boundary?

If any part of the structure is within 2 metres of a boundary, the maximum height is limited to 2.5 metres at the eaves.

What will the structure be used for?

Permitted development under Class E requires that the building is incidental to the enjoyment of the dwellinghouse — it cannot be a separate home or business premises.

Almost done — enter your details to see your results

Your personalised planning assessment will appear on the next page.

We'll also send a copy to your inbox for your records.

We'll only use your email to send these results. No spam, ever.

Planning permission →

Garden Room Planning Permission Garden Office Planning Permission Shed Planning Permission Outbuilding Planning Permission

Lawful development →

Garden Room Certificate of Lawful Development Garden Office Certificate of Lawful Development Shed Certificate of Lawful Development Outbuilding Certificate of Lawful Development

Why work with us

The complete package, from a Chartered Planner

Garden room, garden office, shed and outbuilding planning applications look simple — until the council rejects your submission because the drawings don't meet validation standards or there's insufficient supporting information. Most local authorities now charge fees for invalid applications, and having to redo drawings costs time and money. We get it right first time, every time.

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Specialists in garden rooms, garden offices, sheds & outbuildings

This is what we do all day. Garden room planning permission, garden office planning permission, shed planning permission and outbuilding planning permission — permitted development quirks, eaves heights, ridge heights, distances from boundaries, sleeping accommodation, ancillary use — every angle covered before the application leaves our desk.

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Drawings included

Existing and proposed plans, elevations, sections, location plan and block plan — all produced in-house to council validation standards. No second invoice from an architect or draughtsman.

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Policy-based planning statement

Every application is built around the Local Plan, the national planning policy framework (NPPF in England, PPW in Wales, NPF4 in Scotland) and the relevant permitted development rules — not a templated document with the address swapped out. Written from scratch by a Chartered Town Planner.

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Fixed fees from £395 + VAT

£395 + VAT for a Certificate of Lawful Development. £495 + VAT for a full planning application with drawings and planning statement. No hourly billing. No mid-project surprises. Council fees paid separately at cost.

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Selling your home? You'll need proof.

When you come to sell, your buyer's solicitor will ask whether the garden room had planning permission or qualifies as permitted development. Without a Certificate of Lawful Development on file, it can hold up or even derail a sale. Before you spend thousands on a garden office or garden room, confirm the planning position first — a CLD gives you formal council confirmation in writing that the build is lawful.

The Process

From garden room idea to approved planning permission

The same four steps whether your build is a garden room, a garden office, a shed or any other outbuilding.

01

Free check

Send a few details about what you want to build (or use the planning checker). A Chartered Town Planner reviews and tells you whether you need permission, whether it's permitted development, or whether a Certificate of Lawful Development is the smarter route.

02

Confirm & pay

Fixed fee from £395 + VAT, agreed in writing. Secure payment link sent to you. Work starts the same day on receipt of payment.

03

Drawings & statement prepared

Within seven working days we produce your full set of planning drawings (existing and proposed), the policy-based planning statement and any supporting documents.

04

Submit & manage

We submit through the Planning Portal and act as your registered planning agent throughout determination, responding to officer queries until a decision is issued.

Full process details →

Recent Work

Garden room, garden office & outbuilding planning applications

Real applications, real strategy, anonymised to protect our clients. Detailed case studies coming soon.

Coming soon

Garden Room Planning Application

Case study in preparation
Full case study soon →
Coming soon

Garden Office Planning Permission

Case study in preparation
Full case study soon →
Coming soon

Outbuilding Planning Permission

Case study in preparation
Full case study soon →

Pricing

Three clear options. No hidden fees.

Whether you need a quick check, formal confirmation that your build is lawful, or a full planning application with drawings — one fixed fee, agreed in writing before we start.

Free Online Checker

£0

Find out in under 2 minutes whether your garden room or outbuilding is likely to need planning permission.

  • Instant online assessment
  • Checks national planning constraints
  • Covers height, boundaries & use
  • Personalised results emailed to you
Try Free Checker →

Certificate of Lawful Development

£395 + VAT

Formal council confirmation that your build is lawful under permitted development. Essential before building.

  • PD assessment by a Chartered Planner
  • Site location plan
  • Supporting letter
  • Application form and submission
  • Agent support to decision
Get a CLD →

Not sure which you need? Start with the free online checker or request a free check from a Chartered Town Planner. We'll tell you which route is right before you spend a penny. Council application and CLD fees are paid directly by you to the council, not through us.

FAQs

Garden room, garden office, shed & outbuilding planning FAQs

The rules around garden room planning permission, garden office planning permission, shed planning permission and outbuilding planning permission are some of the most misunderstood in the planning system. Here are the questions we hear most.

If you're not sure whether your build needs a planning application, the safest first step is a free check from a Chartered Town Planner.

View All FAQs →
Do I need garden room planning permission?
It depends on size, height, location and use. Many garden rooms fall under permitted development (Class E) — but there are a lot of conditions: maximum 2.5m eaves height within 2m of the boundary, no sleeping accommodation, no use as a separate dwelling, less than half the garden covered, and so on. Get any one of those wrong and you need a garden room planning application. The free check tells you which side of the line you're on.
Do I need garden office planning permission?
A garden office is treated as an outbuilding under Class E. If it stays ancillary to the main house, sits at the side or rear, doesn't exceed the height limits and doesn't include sleeping accommodation, it's usually permitted development — no garden office planning application needed. Add a kitchenette, a shower room or guest sleeping space and you're heading towards a planning application.
Do I need shed planning permission?
Storage sheds are usually permitted development under Class E, provided they meet the same size, height and location rules as any other outbuilding. The most common reasons a shed planning application is needed: height above 2.5m within 2m of a boundary, position in front of the principal elevation, or location in a conservation area.
Do I need outbuilding planning permission?
Most domestic outbuildings — sheds, garden rooms, garden offices, gyms, workshops, log cabins — sit within Class E permitted development. Outbuilding planning permission is needed where the build exceeds the size or height limits, sits on Article 2(3) land (conservation areas, AONBs, National Parks, the Broads), is on land covered by an Article 4 direction, or is intended for use other than purposes incidental to the dwelling.
How much do you charge?
A fixed fee of £395 + VAT for a Certificate of Lawful Development, or £495 + VAT for the complete planning application package — drawings, planning statement, submission and ongoing agent support. Council application fees are paid separately at cost. We confirm the figure in writing after the free initial check.

Ready to get planning sorted?

Free check from a Chartered Town Planner. We'll tell you whether you need permission — before you spend a penny.

Approved Providers

Garden room & outbuilding suppliers we work with

We work alongside leading garden room, garden office and outbuilding suppliers across the UK. If you're a supplier and would like to partner with us, get in touch.

South West England

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South East England

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Midlands & East

  • Partner company (coming soon)
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North of England

  • Partner company (coming soon)
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Wales

  • Partner company (coming soon)
  • Partner company (coming soon)

Scotland

  • Partner company (coming soon)
  • Partner company (coming soon)