Do I need planning permission for a shed or summerhouse?

A British back garden lawn between panel fences, with a weeping willow and pampas grass.

Short answer: Usually not. Most sheds, summerhouses and log stores can go up without planning permission if they stay within the limits on height, size and position. Check with your council first if you live in a flat, a listed building or a conservation area, if you're in Wales, Scotland or Northern Ireland, or if you want to sleep in it.

By the Yard & Field team

Updated

What the limits cover

The rules for garden buildings look at a few things: how tall the building is, especially close to a boundary; whether it sits in front of the house; how much of the garden it covers; and what you use it for. A typical shed or summerhouse, kept low near the fence and at the back or side of the garden, is usually fine.

The Planning Portal's outbuildings guide sets out the limits for England in plain English.

When to check with your council first

  • You live in a flat or maisonette.
  • Your home is a listed building, or in a conservation area, National Park or Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.
  • You want to sleep in it, or use it as a bedroom, kitchen or somewhere to live.
  • It's large, tall, or goes close to the boundary or in front of the house.
  • You live in Wales, Scotland or Northern Ireland, where the rules are different.

Your council can tell you whether the rules apply to your home, and can confirm it in writing before you build if you want certainty. Your property deeds may also have covenants that need their own consent.

Building regulations

A small, detached garden building that nobody sleeps in usually doesn't need building regulations approval. Bigger buildings, and anything with sleeping space, can. Electrics and water run from the house have their own rules, so use a qualified electrician or plumber. The Planning Portal has a guide to building regulations for outbuildings.

Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland

Each nation has its own rules. See the Welsh Government's guidance, the Scottish Government's guidance or nidirect, or ask your council.

See also: choosing a garden shed and will it fit? Real shed sizes.

Please note: this guide is a general overview, not legal advice. Planning and building rules change, and depend on your home and where you live. Check with your local council or the Planning Portal before you buy or build.

Sources for this guide

The pages we checked this guide's facts against, so you can read them for yourself. A link here isn't a recommendation.