Permitted development question

[snowgirl1]

Our house has an attached garage which is set back from the house slightly (2.5m) - so the garage sticks out at the back by 2.5. We want to build a utility room.on to the back of the garage. Under permitted development I understand we can extend up to 4m from the back of the house without needing to get planning permission. What I can't work out from the info on the planning portal is whether the attached garage would be considered part of the house - does anyone have any idea?

https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2015/596/schedule/2/made

Here’s a link to the permitted development regs for domestic extension. There’s rather more to it than a single measurement.

I would advise you to submit a PD enquiry to your local planning authority. There’s usually a fee, but it’ll be miles cheaper than paying an architect / plan drawer / builder to draw up plans you end up not being able to use.

Have you read the technical guidance?

www.gov.uk/government/publications/permitted-development-rights-for-householders-technical-guidance/permitted-development-rights-for-householders-technical-guidance#class-a-enlargement-improvement-or-alteration

If the garage is counted as part of the original house then be aware that the distance is from the original rear wall, so a stepped house is allowed a stepped extension (not an extension from the furthest part of the house). Search the text below on the site above for the diagram

"Where the original rear wall of a house is stepped, then each of these walls will form ‘the rear wall of the original dwellinghouse’. In such cases, the limits on extensions apply to any of the rear walls being extended beyond. In the example below showing a plan of a semi-detached house with an original ‘stepped’ rear, each of the extensions (shaded)"

Thank you @Rollercoaster1920 for highlighting the relevant section. I had read the tech guide (a while ago). I think what I'm struggling with is whether an attached garage - which was built as part of the original house - is considered part of the "dwellinghouse" and the definition in the guide doesn't help me.

Maybe as @dontbenastyhaveapasty suggests I should submit a PD enquiry.

Thank you both!

If the garage was built as part of the original house, and not added later, it counts as part of the original house.

If the garage is detached then it is not included as part of the "original dwellinghouse" but, if it is physically attached to a wall of the house then it is counted as part of the house.

There have been a number of appeals where the Planning Inspector has stated that an attached garage is to be counted as part of the dwellinghouse.

For example, in APP/Q1445/X/16/3165939 Land at Gateways, Highdown Road, Hove, BN3 6EE

https://democracy.brighton-hove.gov.uk/mgconvert2pdf.aspx?id=110152

The person had a house with an attached garage and built a massive extension to both the front and rear of the house.

The appeal was dismissed because the rear extension was more than 50% of the width of the combined house and garage anyway, but the Inspector said at para 8:

"I determine this appeal on the basis that the original dwellinghouse includes the garage"

and then went on to say at para 17:

"The width of the original dwellinghouse (including the garage) is 12.4 metres. The parties do not however agree on the width of the rear extension. The Council say it is 7.94 metres and therefore greater than half the width of the original dwellinghouse. The Appellant says its width is 4.1metres but provides no explanation"

The fact that these are appeal decisions is why I would do a PD request with your local authority rather than just make an assumption - it could potentially be argued either way (depending on level of separation, date of construction, etc) whether in this individual case the word “dwellinghouse” includes the garage. Although there will be a small fee you’ll get a straight answer fairly quickly and will know exactly where you stand.

If it's an integral garage (ie attached to the house) and built as part of the house, at the same time, it will be treated as part of the original house.