Planning or Building Regs for Garden Office / Gym

[nickhod]

We've recently bought some extra land adjoining our garden and the plan is to put an insulated, wooden garden office gym on part of it.The building would need to be located within 2m of the boundary to make the best use of space.

The most simple approach is clearly to build a 15m2, 2.5m high building and fall just within permitted development. As part of it is to be used as a gym, and because I'm 6' 4", max 2.5m height is really restrictive though.

My ideal building would be 17m2 and ~3.5m high, still close to the boundary. For this to be possible, am I definitely going to need planning and building regs? Is there any point in getting a 'formal opinion' from my council, or is that just a waste of time? If I built it 15m2 but still 3.5m would I only (possibly) need planning permission?

Or is it the case that 2.5m high when less than 2m to a boundary is a fixed rule and planning would never be grated for anything higher?

Thanks for any advice

 

[nickjb]

As soon as you go over 2.5m you will need planning permission as you are close to the boundary. Not really any way to get around that other than just doing it and hoping your neighbours don't complain. Is there any reason to think you might not get permission? They will usually give permission for taller buildings unless there is a good reason not too.

Building regs is totally separate needing/having one makes no diffreence on the other. Up to 15m2 (Internal floor area, not building size AIUI) you can do what you like. Up to 30m2 it has to be substantially made of non combustible material or 1m+ from a boundary and again you can do what you like. You will still need sign off for and electrics and drainage if applicable.

Have a read of this:
http://www.planningportal.gov.uk/permission/commonprojects/outbuildings/

 

[nickhod]

Up to 15m2 (Internal floor area]

Thanks. I forgot it was internal floor area. I might as well keep to 15m2 to avoid building regs.

Seems like I just need to get some plans drawn up and apply for planning on the additional height.

 

[cjard]

You need to check whether the extra land you have bought is currently considered to be residential curtilage. Buying an allotment next to your house, for example, and demolishing the dividing fence would not automatically make the allotment part of your curtilage and it would still be classed as land in agricultural use which wouldn't give you the right to bang a gym on it

Once you've checked that the land you have truly can have permitted development structures on, why not dig down a metre? That gives you your head height and doesn't break your outside height limit. Hiring a digger and learning to drive it will be the best fun of the project