Do I need planning permission?

[robmorris]

Hi all

I am buying a house in Essex (Thurrock Council)
There is no frontal of street parking and general parking out front is limited.

I am buying the house with the hope that I can build a wooden garage at the back of the garden.
There is rear council owned car access to the back of my row of houses.
Currently my garden has a fence at the back but it does have block paving at the end where in the past it must have been left open for parking. Looking along the row there is a couple of carports / fences / fully open gardens for parking. No one has built a garage.

The garden is quite small 12 foot wide by 43 feet long.

I want the garage to be 12 foot wide and 18 feet long. (Eaves 2.1m / Ridge 2.4m)

I have looked at the regulations (baring in mind I am no builder and have never looked at regs before) and I read various pieces of information. All I hope lead to my not requiring permission?

The first is that if the floor is between 15-30m square it 'shouldn't' need planning.
The second is the overall floor should not exceed 50% of the overall garden space.
The third is if the building is within 2 meters of the boundary (I want to use every available millimeter!) The the building should not exceed 2.5m

There is further information about the floor being of suitable construction. I plan on that being concrete.

But the following conflicts? (Regards to the bondary?)
If the floor area of the building is between 15 square metres and 30 square metres, you will not normally be required to apply for building regulations approval providing that the building contains NO sleeping accommodation and is either at least one metre from any boundary or it is constructed of substantially non-combustible materials.

Is wood considered substantially non-combustible materials?

Thanks for any advice given.

 

[jeds]

What you proposes is generally permitted development but it would be wise to check with your local planning authority because PD rights can be restricted or withdrawn in certain circumstances. The second part is to do with building regulations not planning permission. The two are different animals - don't mix them up. "Is wood considered substantially non-combustible materials?" Depends on the type of wood. Tree wood is usually very combustible.

 

[Nakajo]

Wood is the opposite of 'substantially non-combustible'

 

[tony1851]

The wood-garage issue comes up frequently. As your garage would be > 15 sq.m. and within 1m of a boundary, it should be
built of (mainly) non-combustible materials to comply.
But there must be thousands - nay, tens of thousands - of timber garages up and down the country, which have given no problems.
I think a lot depends on common-sense application of the rules, in which case you are doomed if you use local authority building control.

 

[chappers]

But there are ways around that such as lining with a non c combustible material under the timber cladding, as you would do with a loft conversion

 

[robmorris]

Thanks guys. I dont feel any further on. I guess I can just apply for planning permission (£175 i think it is) and keep my fingers crossed.

 

[tony1851]

Assuming your build does not exceed 50% of the curtilage area, and is within certain height limits, you would not ordinarily need planning permission.
However, you would still need to make a Building Regulations application if it is above 15 sq m in floor area and within 1m of the boundary and not built of non-combustible materials.
So don't waste time and money on a planning application because getting one will not necessarily give you the OK to build it, as you may fall foul of Building Regs.
As above, you may be confusing them; it is perfectly possible to get planning permission and be refused Building Regs (and vice versa).

 

[robmorris]

Thanks Tony - indeed I am confusing by both. Your assumptions from your post are correct. So instead of planning permission i need building regs permission.

 

[tony1851]

Thanks Tony - indeed I am confusing by both. Your assumptions from your post are correct. So instead of planning permission i need building regs permission.

Yes, but as jeds advises, occasionally permitted development rights are removed - though if you have an older property, that would be unusual, but check with your planning dept first.

Then it's just down to Building Regs.

 

[robmorris]

Thanks again. I have been reading through the following gov website - https://www.gov.uk/building-regulations-approval/when-you-need-approval
Which linked me to submitAPlan website - http://www.submitaplan.com/information.aspx
And on this website under 'Exemptions' -
There are a number of building types and extensions that are termed exempt, which do not need formal approval or an application to be submitted within the Building Regulations; these are summarised below.
Garages
Construction of a non combustible detached garage less then 30m2 would not normally require Building Regulations approval.
Sheds
Construction of a small detached building such as a garden shed or summerhouse in the garden will not normally require Building Regulations if the floor area of the building is less than 15m2. If floor area is between 15 & 30m2 you will not normally require Building Regulations providing that the building is either at least 1m from the boundary or it is constructed of substantially non-combustible material.

 

[robmorris]

I have worked out that I will not require planning or build/regs permission if I go for a 10x16ft wooden garage (Max 2.5m in height and OK to go within the 1m boundary line)

If I want a 12 x 18ft garage it will need to be made from brick (or similar) and I will need to go through build/regs permission.

Hmmm is 10x16ft really big enough for a saloon car?

 

[Nakajo]

Yes. With a clear opening of 7'-6", it's just enough.

 

[tony1851]

A 12ft x 18ft garage built of brick, block or concrete panels or similar would not need Building Regs approval regardless of where it goes as it is < 30sq.m.

 

[robmorris]

See I was looking at wooden because I assumed it was the cheapest..

OK so as long as the max height is sub 2.5m / built of brick, block or concrete panels / consume less than 50% of the garden; I do not need planning/build regs permissions? I can build right up to the neighbors fence and get my 12x18ft?!

I have been on eBay and the prefab concrete garages are similar in price to wooden. Looks like we have a winner.

 

[tony1851]

OK so as long as the max height is sub 2.5m / built of brick, block or concrete panels / consume less than 50% of the garden; I do not need planning/build regs permissions? I can build right up to the neighbors fence and get my 12x18ft?!

Yes; got there in the end!