Newcastle City Council
Newcastle, Gosforth, Jesmond and the city's suburbs.
Planning permission
Garden rooms and planning permission: a general guide
Many garden rooms in England can be built without a planning application under permitted development. Many is not all, though, and only your council can confirm what applies to your home.
Permitted development
What permitted development means
Permitted development rights let householders put up certain outbuildings without applying for planning permission, as long as the building meets a set of conditions. In general terms, the conditions cover:
The detailed limits are set out in government guidance and can change, so check the current version and ask your council if anything is unclear. This is a general explanation, not legal advice.
- Position: not in front of the main front wall of the house
- Height: single storey, with lower limits close to a boundary
- Coverage: outbuildings and extensions together covering no more than half the garden
- Use: incidental to enjoying the house, such as an office, gym or hobby room, rather than a separate home
When it's different
Situations that change the rules
Flats and maisonettes
Permitted development for outbuildings applies to houses. If you live in a flat, including a Tyneside flat with its own yard, planning permission is usually needed.
Conservation areas
Parts of the North East have conservation areas where the rules are tighter, especially for buildings at the side of a house.
Listed buildings
Within the grounds of a listed building, planning permission is generally needed for an outbuilding.
New-build estates
Some newer homes have had permitted development rights removed by a planning condition. Your property's planning history will show it.
Protected landscapes
National Landscapes (formerly AONBs) and National Parks can have extra limits, including in parts of Northumberland.
Covenants
Separate from planning, some deeds carry covenants needing consent for new buildings. Check your title.
Building regulations
Building regulations are a separate question
Planning is about what a building is and where it goes. Building regulations are about how it's built. Small outbuildings without sleeping accommodation are often exempt, but size, distance from a boundary, materials and features such as a toilet or shower can change that.
Sleeping in a garden room, or using it as somewhere to live, almost always needs both planning permission and building regulations approval.
Checking
How to check for your home
- 01
Read the guidance
The government's permitted development guidance for householders covers outbuildings.
- 02
Check your property
Look up conservation areas, listing and planning history on your council's website.
- 03
Ask the council
Your council can advise, and you can apply for a lawful development certificate for certainty.
Councils
Local planning authorities
North Tyneside Council
Whitley Bay, Tynemouth, Cullercoats and nearby towns.
Gateshead Council
Gateshead, Low Fell, Whickham and Ryton.
Northumberland and Durham
Northumberland County Council covers Ponteland and Morpeth; Durham County Council covers Durham.
Next step
Talk it through
Planning comes up at almost every consultation. Bring any questions, and check the answer with your council before you commit.
Questions
Common questions
Will my garden room definitely not need planning permission?
No one can promise that except your council. Many rooms fall within permitted development, but your house, its history and its location all matter.
What is a lawful development certificate?
A certificate from your council confirming that a proposed building is lawful without a planning application. It's optional, but gives certainty, which can help when you sell.
Can I put a toilet in my garden room?
Often yes, but plumbing and drainage add work, and a toilet or shower can bring building regulations into play. Raise it early.
Can a garden room be used as a bedroom?
Sleeping accommodation generally takes a building outside permitted development and into building regulations. Check with your council before planning a room for sleeping.