Partition garage for "protected" storage

[jareth24]

Hi,

I am looking to uplift our garage to make the space more usable and create two separate spaces. The space at the front will have the garage door as an entrance and remain as your typical garage storage for tools, mower, etc. The space at the back already has a door to the back garden and would be used as a more protected storage from mice as they have been destroying everything they can. Things like chair cushions, maybe a workbench, that sort of thing.

My plan is to plasterboard the whole garage (currently breezeblock inside and red brick outside with a cavity space), tile the floor (after DMP paint applied) and then erect a simple stud wall. There would be no plumbing added or electrics placed into the stud wall and I'm not trying to make the space "liveable".

Sounds simple but here is the catch. Permitted development has been removed from our estate so anything I do must not require building regulations sign off as they have flat out refused previous plans to make the space liveable as a playroom and have said they won't approve anything without planning permission. I want to stay within the rules and comply to not void my insurance, so the questions are...

Would the above be fine and legal?
Where is the line where building regs are needed?
Would adding a heater and some insulation to the walls and floor in the back when I want to work on stuff go across that line into regs land?
Would I need to use fireproof boards on the stud wall?

From what I've read it should be ok as the use of the garage is not changing, just the layout but any advice would be much appreciated.

 

[Deluks]

What people get up to behind closed doors is their business.

I don't see any point in plasterboarding the front 'storage' area of the garage.

The stud wall could easily be removed if need be, no reason not to add a little bit of insulation for cosiness. If your heater is just a plug in one, and not an extension of your central heating system, then that's not a problem.
Assuming you have sockets in there already?
Be mindful of overloading any sockets.

Also be mindful of ventilation/ condensation. Especially when insulating the ceiling.

 

[^woody^]

Interesting concept. I don't recall any precedent for this cunning plan as long as the remaining garage still looks like and is usable as a garage,
that there is no actual existing planning conditions stipulating the size, use or suchlike,
and that the room created is nothing more than a store .... potentially for garage-like stuff - except a car obviously.

Typically, plastering walls implies a livable space, so if it came to an inspection then that would have to be justified. I'm sure a reason could be thought up, but it would need to be in context of the rest of the room if there was any question on its use.

The new partition should perform as a 30 minute fire break wall. It may not need any thermal insulation, but it may be worth adding some.