Annexes

OAK FRAME BUILDINGS

Garden Annexes

In England, garden annexes do not always require planning permission, but it depends on how they will be used and the design. If the annexe is an outbuilding that complies with Permitted Development rights, you may not need full planning permission. However, it must meet limits on size, height, location and coverage of the garden and it must remain ancillary to the main house. If the annexe is intended as self-contained living accommodation (for example, with a kitchen, bathroom and bedroom for someone to live in full time), planning permission is more likely to be required, particularly if it could function as a separate dwelling. If your property is: in a conservation area, • a listed building, • a national park, or • has had permitted development rights removed, • then planning permission is more likely to be needed. Even where full planning permission isn't required, many homeowners apply for a Lawful Development Certificate (LDC). This provides official confirmation from the local planning authority that the proposal is lawful, which can be valuable when selling or remortgaging the property. Also remember that building regulations approval may still be required, regardless of whether planning permission is needed.