Some people might consider an extension, or you could opt for another structure in the garden other than a shed. Some fabulous shepherd’s huts and pods can offer a workroom or home office away from the hustle and bustle of the house. GBS can advise you on whether or not you will need planning permission for your Outbuilding Conversion, and if so, draw the architectural plans for the project.

If you have plans for an Outbuilding Conversion that provides an independent residence, complete with a functioning bathroom and kitchen, you’ll need planning permission to meet specific regulations. These factors we, of course, advise you on to ensure a stress-free conversion for your household.

Whether it’s a garden office, a home gym, or a games room the possibilities are almost endless when it comes to what an outbuilding can offer you and your home. In terms of outbuilding design again the possibilities are almost endless, owing to their nature of being detached from the host property there is usually a lot of flexibility when it comes to their external look, as with extensions there are permitted development rights in place that will allow you to potentially design and construct an outbuilding without formal planning permission.

If you’re thinking about an outbuilding project or you’re unsure about how to go about your outbuilding design, take a read of the below to get started on your journey.

Outbuilding Design and Planning Permission

A more standard planning application and therefore full planning permission may be the route if you are looking at an outbuilding design that doesn’t comply with the permitted development guidance. We would always encourage our clients to maximise the potential of their outbuilding design and allow that to dictate the method of approval rather than the opposite.

The possibilities are almost endless when it comes to the outbuilding design and planning permission. That’s not to say you can design whatever you want, you will need to ensure that any proposal complies with your local authority’s planning and design guidance to ensure that your proposal will be approved.

It may be that certain designs would not be accepted due to local architecture or that certain material choices would not be viewed favourably by your local authority, therefore it is vitally important that this guidance is reviewed before the outbuilding design process begins.

Our experience suggests that by handling the outbuilding design process this way we can ensure that we maximise the potential of our project whilst also ensuring a smooth stress-free planning process, any delays at this stage can set the project timeline back a substantial amount.