Planning Permission.

Please Note As Of Oct 1st Planning Rules Have Changed For England

Some of the difficulties to contend with

• The maximum height of the ‘Eaves’ of the building will be limited to 2500 mm
• The height of the building must not exceed 2500 mm for buildings within 2 metres of a boundary.
• All buildings with a veranda, balcony or raised platform (over 300mm high) will need planning permission.

To find out the full details follow the link at the bottom of the page to the planning portal or contact us on 0845 427 3927

Do I need planning permission for a log cabin?

The following advice may make planning permission unnecessary but we strongly advise all our clients to seek written approval from their local development control officer prior to starting construction.

• The log cabin should be at least 5 metres from your home.(this will not apply to log cabins built in England from October 2008)

(It could be closer but you would have to submit a planning application with associated fees as it will be treated as an extension)

• The log cabin must be less than 4m high with a pitched roof or 3m with a flat roof.

(Cabin Living cabins are less than 4m high with a pitched roof.)

• If the floor area of the building is less than 15 metres square, it can be sited close to a boundary.

(Cabin Living would still suggest a 0.5 metre gap to allow maintenance of your boundary and cabin.)

• If between 15 and 30 metres square there should be at least 1 metre to any boundary to comply with building regulations.

• The log cabin should take up less than 50% of the garden surrounding the house. (less than 30% in Scotland)

Contact your local development control officer. It is likely they will ask you to submit a plan indicating where and what you intend to build. Your council should not apply any fees for this type of enquiry as this is not a planning application as such.

Information to include with your submission:

• an accurate dimensioned plan of your site showing cabin orientation, your home and clearly marked boundaries. This should be to scale 1:100
• a photograph of your site
• a site plan
• a picture of your proposed log cabin
• floor dimensions of your log cabin

It is advisable to point out in your accompanying letter that your cabin is 5m from your home, less than 15m square if you propose to place it close to a boundary, less than 4m high with a pitched roof, and less than 50% (or 30% for Scotland) of the garden area to demonstrate your familiarity with planning rules.

Councils do vary but response to this type of enquiry is normally fairly quick. (Two weeks or so)

This may seem like a time consuming process but obtaining approval secures peace of mind and ensures that if you sell your property in the future you can furnish your buyer's solicitor with written approval from development control.

For further information use these links to visit the Planning Portal or General Permitted Development Scotland.