Planning Restrictions (for a Garden Room) in AONB’s

Garden Room :Photo: ALAMY

Your Garden Room = Planning Restrictions in AONB’s, National Parks & Conservation Areas

Many people choose to build a garden room rather than ebmark on a lengthy home extension due to the allocation of permitted development within most domestic gardens.

Within parameters of Permitted Development you can build your garden room without having to seek full planning approval, meaning that you can simply pass go and collect your £200.00 and it’s happy days all round! (…… and we know ’round’!!)

However If a garden room is going to used as a Granny Annexe or Guest Bedroom, it needs planning permission!  Further information can be found on page 40 of the government document Permitted Development for Householders-Technical Guidance. – for England and Wales.

In some areas of the country, known generally as ‘designated areas’, permitted development rights are more restricted. If you live in a Conservation Area, a National Park, an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty or the Norfolk or Suffolk Broads, you may have to submit a planning application for work which normally does not need one. (There are also different requirements if the property is a listed building).

So, those of us who are fortunate enough to live in a National Park or an Area Of Outstanding Natural Beauty, the roll of the dice lands us squarely on ‘Chance’ where planning restrictions can change from local authority to another and become frustratingly unclear. Making use of Planning Consultants can become expensive and complications cause delays.

garden room as garden annexe

Given the nature of a modular garden room being in it’s essence not too dissimilar to a cabin, shepherds-hut or caravan, some homeowners decide to take the plunge and site their building temporarily in their chosen spot on the understanding that they can re-locate their building at any point should difficulties or restrictions arise at some point in the future. However, we strongly advise that advice is sought from your Local Authority before taking the plunge should you be planning on building your garden room in an AONB, National Park or Conservation Area.

To find your Local Authority you may use this link here via the Planning Portal: http://www.planningportal.gov.uk/wps/portal/genpub_LocalInformation?docRef=LocalInformation&scope=202&langid=0

But what is the difference between an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty and a National Park?

As cited from www.naturenet.net

“National Parks are actually of equal importance to AONBs for landscape and scenic beauty, the difference is that AONBs exist for the purpose of conserving and enhancing their natural beauty. National Parks, in addition to this, have a second purpose – to promote understanding and enjoyment of the area’s special qualities by the public.

The designation usually covers a wide area and many types and uses of land. Not all parts of an AONB are necessarily open to the public. Towns and villages are sometimes included, and often small areas which are not at all beautiful get included too.”

“The Cotswolds” AONB Photo: GreenTraveller.com

Essentially, the local authorities have a legal duty under S85 Countryside and Rights of Way Act 2000 to have regard to the purposes of the AONB in carrying out planning and other functions.

There are 47 Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB), 15 National Parks and more then 9,600 conservation areas designated in Britain.

You can find out if you live in an AONB by going to http://www.landscapesforlife.org.uk/.

Find out if you live in a conservation area by contacting your local planning authority (LPA). They will be able to tell you when it was created, how far it extends, the reason for its creation and the level of legal protection it has in place.

Although conservation areas mean some extra planning controls and considerations, these exist to protect the historic and architectural elements which make the place special. They are most likely to affect owners who want to work on the outside of their building or any trees on their property.

————————————————————————————————

Any Building Alterations may need Planning Approval

Your House 

Being in a conservation area might mean that your house is affected by special controls (called ‘Article 4 Directions’), which restrict work you can normally do without planning permission such as replacing a door or window or altering gutters and downpipes.

These controls are tailored to each area by the council, and are put in place when there are particular elements of local buildings they want to protect. 

Trees

If you want to cut down, top or lop any but the smallest of trees in a conservation area you must notify your local planning authority six weeks before work begins. The authority will then consider the contribution the tree makes to the character of the area and if necessary create a Tree Preservation Order (TPO) to protect it. Find out more about permission for work on trees.

————————————————————————————————

And if you live in a National park?  Within a National Park planning applications are submitted to the national park authority as opposed to the Local Authority.   Permitted Development still exists in National Parks for a garden room however the maximum area to be covered by buildings, enclosures, containers and pools more than 20 metres from house to be limited to 10 square metres.

What might harm your chances of receiving approval for your planning application for your garden room? If the proposed development might damage or harm the natural beauty and special qualities of the AONB, it may not be allowed, or it may need to be adapted. The type of building you specify, and the materials used will have a large impact on the success of your application and you’ll need the materials to blend in with the existing buildings as well as the surrounding area.

Ultimately, the first port of call is to discuss your project in detail with both the garden room Manufacturer AND your Local Authority.

If there is any doubt that you might not fall within the guidelines of Permitted Development then it’s wise to embark on the application process anyway. 

We offer a full planning application service to our garden room clients from a flat rate of just *£650.00(+ Local Authority Fees) for the submission of your application, taking the pressure off you, and allowing you to focus on other things. *re-submissions and amendments may incur additional fees

With a well, crafted design and access statement, citing the benefits of an environmentally sympathetic design and circular footprint (which of course ties in with our cultural heritage; after all, the Roundhouse has been around since the Neolithic period) we have yet to encounter a problem receiving approval for a Rotunda garden room. 

To date, we’ve secured a 100% success rate for our applications, gaining approval for clients in National Parks, with listed properties and within conservation areas.

Should you like to delve a little deeper into your particular project, please feel free to contact us or call directly on (0161) 2223350 and pop over to the Government’s Planning Portal website which is a good start for general information about all aspects of planning prior to moving ahead with your garden room project.