Can we build a garage here?

[X90STO]

Hi guys,

New poster and a sensitive/stressed first time buyer so please go easy on me!

I have exchanged on an end terrace property; plot 92 on below diagram. It is at the end of a shared driveway and we want to build either a single or double garage behind our driveway. It is marked on the diagram as a very rudimentary black box. I know we will need to have at least 1m distance from the boundary with the neighbouring property.

I am a bit confused when it comes to permitted development, I need to to request permission from the developer which is fine but would our garage require planning permission if under 15m2?

The front elevation of the property faces out onto the shared drive. I should add that the area around the ‘black box diagram’ will be grassed.

Any help and advice is greatly appreciated!

 

[wuptdo]

Looking at the image - with the below assumption you will need planning permission.

Permitted development Class E outbuildings must sit behind the principal elevation of the house. This term basically means what most people would consider the front of your property.

 

[X90STO]

Ah that was my fear. I’ve just been reading up on it today.

Thank you very much for your response.

 

[thomp1983]

Applying for planning permission is fairly straight forward, especially since your proposal is quite simple.

The other advantage with planning permission is it means you can apply to build almost all the way to the border, you will need to leave enough space for guttering etc. But it means you can try to use the biggest space available.

 

[X90STO]

I keep seeing horror stories where people have been pushed back due to the garage being in front of their home.

I understand that ours is technically in front of the house with it being a corner plot but I’d like to hope the council take that into consideration and don’t knock us back? Plus it’s not like it’s impeding on anyone else. Can only hope that the planner at Sunderland City Council is in a good mood!

I thought it would be straightforward until a few weeks ago. How naïve!

 

[wuptdo]

Whilst I've no direct experience in applying for PP. In front of the home certainly isn't an outright no - as I've seen a lot of relatively recent builds like this.

My opinions below...

Your proposal isn't blocking the view of the front of your house from the street, I think this is what they're mainly worried about. Obviously it would be very hard to word permitted development to allow what you've proposed by default without allowing all kinds of weird things to be built.

It just depends how it fits with the style of the street. It appears as if one of the houses on that plan you showed already has a garage behind their space. I would have thought if you proposed something in a matching style - it would be favoured by the planning dept.

Another bonus is it could be considered by a passer-by to appear part of and behind the front elevation of the plot at the top of your image (93?).

 

[^woody^]

Have PD rights been removed on the new development?

If so, you need to ignore any horror stories and instead read your local planning policies and design guides, and see if your proposal conforms to those, as if so it will be approved.