Sheds, greenhouses and garages (permissions)

Planning permission

You do not need planning permission to erect a shed, greenhouse or garage, providing:

it is within your domestic curtilage ( ‘domestic curtilage’ is the area of land on which a dwelling house sits which is used for residential purposes. It does not include a field or other open land next to a house, even if it is in the same ownership)
the external area of the shed, greenhouse or garage is no greater than 30 square metres in total. If structures including outbuildings and extensions to the house have already been built as "Permitted Developement" (without the need for planning permission) since 1 June 2007, the combined total area must not exceed 30 square metres
the intended shed, greenhouse or garage is not in front of a principal elevation of the house (‘principal elevation’ means any elevation or wall of a house that faces and is within 20 metres of a public road.)
the shed, greenhouse or garage is not be used for a commercial purposes
the height of the structure does not exceed 3.5 metres if the roof is pitched and the bottom of the roof planes is no more than 2.5 metres above ground level
the height of the structure does not exceed 3 metres if the roof is flat
any part of the structure within 1 metre of an adjoining property boundary does not exceed 2 meters in height
the building/site is not registered as a listed building or place (LBP) or a potential listed building or place (pLBP) and does not fall within an area of archaeological potential (AAP)

Note: you will need planning permission if your 'permitted development' rights have been removed by a condition on a previous Planning Permit in the last 30 years or so. Also see the list of exceptions below.

What are the exceptions to the above?

you will need permission if any of the work involves the formation or alteration of vehicle access to a public road
you will need permission if any of the work creates an obstacle to a view of a public road or near a bend, corner or junction that would result in danger

Is my building or site listed?
Making an application - planning

Building permission

If you want to construct a small detached building such as a garden shed, garage or summerhouse in your garden, building permission is not required for the following types of structure.

Small detached buildings (for example a garage)

You will not require building permission if:

its a detached single-storey building
the internal floor area is not more than 20 sq metres
it contains no sleeping accommodation
no part of it is no closer than 1 metre to the boundary, or if less than 1 metre from a boundary, it has external walls and a roof covering constructed substantially of non-combustible material

Other detached buildings (for example garden sheds)