What a garden room is
A garden room is a standalone insulated building in the garden, commonly used as a home office, gym, studio or extra living space separate from the main house.
Permitted development for outbuildings
Garden rooms often fall under permitted development for outbuildings, subject to limits on height, how much of the garden they cover, and how close they sit to a boundary, though these rules can be tighter in a conservation area or on a listed property.
Insulation and services
Unlike a simple garden shed, a garden room intended for year-round use needs proper insulation, damp-proofing and usually an electrical supply run out from the house, and increasingly heating, to make it comfortable through the colder months.
Foundations and site preparation
Foundations for a garden room range from a simple concrete base to screw piles or a raft foundation, depending on the ground conditions and the size and weight of the structure.
Frequently asked questions
Does a garden room need planning permission?+
Often not, because many garden rooms fall under permitted development for outbuildings, though there are limits on height, coverage of the garden and distance from a boundary that can bring a project back into needing an application.
Could a garden room double as a bedroom?+
It depends on the specific project and the applicable rules, since a garden room used as habitable accommodation rather than incidental space can raise different planning and building regulations considerations.
Does a garden room need an electrical supply?+
Most garden rooms intended for regular use have power run out from the house, and any electrical work should be carried out to the relevant wiring regulations and, where required, notified under building regulations.
Useful local links
- Reigate and Banstead Borough Council – Planning — The planning authority covering Reigate itself, along with Redhill, Horley, Banstead and several nearby villages.
- Mole Valley District Council – Do I need planning permission — The planning authority covering Dorking, Ashtead, Leatherhead and several villages southwest of Reigate.
- Epsom and Ewell Borough Council – Planning permission — The planning authority covering Epsom, a separate borough from Reigate and Banstead.
- Tandridge District Council – Planning and building — The planning authority covering Caterham, Nutfield and South Nutfield.
- GOV.UK – Planning permission: when you need it — Government guidance on when planning permission is required in England and Wales.
- GOV.UK – Party Wall etc. Act 1996 guidance — Government guidance on notifying neighbours and resolving disputes over shared or boundary walls, relevant to attached garage conversions and extensions.
- Planning Portal – Garage conversion — National guidance on when planning permission is needed for a garage conversion in England.