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Summerhouses – don’t let planning ruin your tanning
As the summer months approach, homeowners across the country will be contemplating how to make best use of their outdoor spaces. Whether for entertaining or relaxing, a pleasant and practical outdoor space can really make a difference to a property and help make the most of the ever elusive Scottish sunshine.
One way to transform an outdoor space and make the most of summer is by erecting a summerhouse which can easily extend a property and provide indoor comforts to an outdoor space. While the prospect of turning an outdoor space in to a personal haven may be an exciting one for many, each summerhouse will differ in design, size and location. These are all factors that will determine whether Local Authority planning permission will be required and should be carefully considered before construction begins.
Planning permission will generally be required where the summerhouse:
- Is not to be located to the rear of the property.
- Is to be higher than 4 metres and the sections within 1 metre of the boundary would be higher than 2.5 metres.
- Eaves (where the walls meet the roof) are to be taller than 3 meters.
- Is to be located in a conservation area and its footprint exceeds 8 square metres (4 square metres if the dwellinghouse to which the summerhouse pertains is a listed building. Listing Building Consent would also be required if the dwellinghouse is a listed building and where the summerhouse will affect the character or setting of such a listed building).
- Is to be lived in.
- Is to occupy more than half of the garden ground.
If the necessary permissions are not obtained, you may find that the sun will set early on your summerhouse venture. Absent building control documentation will cause problems when you come to sell the property in the future, particularly where a purchaser insists on it being delivered. Additionally, if the Local Authority decide that the summerhouse is not permitted, they can insist that you to reinstate the property to its former state, which of course can be both costly and inconvenient.
Useful Scottish Government guidance on planning permission can be found here .
If you are in any doubt as to whether planning permission would be required, our property team would be happy to provide guidance on this. However, as with all property alterations, if you are considering erecting a summerhouse at your property, it is recommended that you consult your local authority planning department to confirm what will be required in your own particular set of circumstances.
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