Disclosure: As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. This post may contain affiliate links, which means we earn a commission when you purchase through these links.
More property owners in the UK are choosing to add delightful elements to their gardens, and one major element that has always been in high demand is the garden log cabin or summerhouse. Log cabins are a bit different from summerhouses, and it’s all about the function and purpose. But both are additional building structures that can lend a more pleasant look to your garden and serve as a great place where you can relax, have fun with family and friends, and just take in the beautiful sight of your garden from another perspective. Plus, they can be excellent storage areas as well. But if you’re thinking of building a garden log cabin or summerhouse, what do you need to know about planning permission? Here’s your guide.
The basic rules and guidelines
Here’s something you should know: you don’t need to have planning permission for a log cabin or summerhouse in general, since they are classified as permitted development. But it’s always a good idea to confirm this with your planning portal or local planner just to be sure.
What you need to remember, however, is that the larger the structure and the closer the structure or building is to the boundary of your property, the more likely it is for you to require permission. The log cabin or summerhouse mustn't go beyond your property’s boundary. If the log cabin or summerhouse is two metres away from your boundary, you should make sure that the highest height of the eaves is 2.5 metres and the highest point of the ridge is 4 metres.
The legislation you should remember
You should also remember that the summerhouse or log cabin should not be more than four metres, as stated by the Town and Country Planning Order (1995). The overall height of your summerhouse or log cabin shouldn’t be more than four metres if it features a ridged roof. If it doesn’t come with a ridged roof, your structure shouldn’t be more than three metres.
If you want to be sure about your building or structure, it’s always best to source it from specialists in garden summer houses or log cabins, because they will know the requirements according to legislation and will already have structures built in line with this.
The distance of the structure from your house
Regulations regarding permitted development specify that your garden building or structure should be within two metres of the boundary of your property. But there are now more relaxed regulations in terms of how close your structure should be to your actual house. The rules were changed more than ten years ago, in 2008, and now, instead of requiring a separation of five metres from your house, you can build your log cabin or summerhouse as close to your home as possible, if you want.
More on permitted development structures
In general, any garden cabin is considered permitted development since it is classified as an outbuilding. For this, you would not normally need planning permission. The same is true for a woodland cabin if you own some woodland and would like to build a tool shed or a storage area – as long as you maintain the land and work on it, then it’s classified as permitted development as well.
The only difference is if you are constructing cabins or sheds for commercial purposes or accommodation for agricultural purposes – these would require planning permission.
