“If it’s simply as a garden room, extra lounge or dining space, playroom or office, it should fall under permitted development, which is also called incidental development,” explains Higginson. “For this, it will need to be under 2.5m high (total height from the nearest adjacent ground), not over 50% of your outside space and cannot be used as an extra bedroom.” In some cases, if the space is to be used as a home gym or office for example, you can still have a bathroom, notes Higginson.“If you do dream of being able to roll out of bed and into your garden, then you’ll need planning permission, which will fall under ancillary development.” He continues:“Put simply, this is building anything where you’ll use the space as you would your primary residence, so sleeping, eating and using the bathroom.” Your garden room provider will be able to advise you on any planning needed and how to go about this, says Higginson. “On average, ancillary planning will cost £1,200, but this can differ depending on whether you do it yourself, use a professional, and also where you are in the country – this may be included in your garden room estimate, so it’s worth checking,” he adds.
How to get a garden room installed – and what it might cost
By Sam Wylie-Harris, PA
Echoing everything we love about the British countryside, what could be lovelier than having your own four walls planted amongst lush greenery? Forget wooden summer houses or ‘posh sheds,’ says Tony Higginson, managing director and co-founder of Vivid Green.We’re talking about garden rooms built to the same or often higher standards as an extension, he underlines. “With bi-fold doors, a toilet or kitchen and a room which leads right onto the garden – enabling you to eat and entertain al fresco, no matter the weather.” If you’re taken by the idea and thinking of getting one installed, Higginson reveals the key things you’ll need to consider…
Footings
Planning
There are several installation methods available for garden rooms… Where possible, Higginson opts for ground screw foundations.“This allows you to work with pretty much any surface and surface level (within reason), is eco-friendly
The type of planning you’ll need will depend on what you plan on using your garden room for…
64 | mccarthyholden.co.uk
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