Outbuildings
An outbuilding is a separate structure in your garden, such as a garden room, home office, studio or gym, detached from the main house. AVA Home Design designs outbuildings across London and the Home Counties under permitted development where possible, and prepares a lawful development certificate or full planning application where the size, height or use falls outside permitted-development limits.
A garden room is the quiet way to add space without touching the house: a quiet office away from the family, a studio, or a gym. Done within permitted development, it can often go ahead without a full planning application.
We design outbuildings that sit within the permitted-development limits where possible, and where a design needs more height or a use beyond incidental, we prepare the planning application instead. Either way we confirm the route before you commit.
Types
- Garden office or studio
- An insulated, year-round room for working from home or a creative studio. The most common request.
- Garden gym
- A dedicated space for equipment, with the floor build-up and power it needs.
- Garden room or annexe
- A larger room for family use. A self-contained annexe with kitchen and bathroom needs planning permission, not permitted development.
- Storage or workshop
- A practical building for storage, a workshop or a hobby space.
Frequently asked questions
- Can I build a garden room without planning permission?
- Many outbuildings are permitted development if single-storey with a maximum eaves height of 2.5 metres, an overall height of 4 metres for a dual-pitched roof or 3 metres otherwise, and the outbuildings together cover no more than 50% of the land around the original house. Designated land, and uses beyond incidental to the house, can still need permission.
- Can I sleep or run a business in my outbuilding?
- Permitted development covers uses incidental to the house, not self-contained living accommodation or a separate dwelling. A guest annexe with a kitchen and bathroom, or a building used as a separate home, typically needs planning permission. A low-key home office is usually fine; a business with staff or regular visitors may not be.
- How close to the boundary can an outbuilding go?
- An outbuilding within 2 metres of a boundary is limited to 2.5 metres total height under permitted development. Beyond 2 metres you have more height to work with, up to the 3-metre or 4-metre limits depending on the roof. We position the building to make the most of the rules and your garden.
- Should I get a lawful development certificate?
- Where a building is permitted development, a lawful development certificate from the council gives you written proof it was lawful, which is useful at resale and for peace of mind. We prepare and submit it. Where the design exceeds permitted-development limits, we submit a full planning application instead.