If you want to work from home, creating a comfortable space where you can focus is key. Sofia Delgado explains how an outbuilding could offer the perfect solution

This is one of Oakmasters’ most popular designs, comprising a garage

space for a home office. Costs vary between £50,000 and £70,000, and building work takes approximately 12 weeks

Setting up a home office in a separate structure from your house could be the ideal route to avoiding a long or busy commute. But will you need planning permission to set up this kind of zone? The key factors to consider are who is going to be using the office, how often and what type of business you’ll be carrying out. Your answers should give you a rough idea if your outbuilding falls within the boundaries of permitted development (PD) or if you’ll need to submit a formal planning application to your local authority.

The scope of permitted development

Many people working from home do so alone, in which case planning permission for an office isn’t usually needed. But, if you are employing staff who will come in on a daily basis or are holding several meetings, it could be classed as business use and, moreover, might be disruptive to your neighbours – in which case you will need to get the planners involved before you start any construction.

If you want to create a garden room suitable for office use under PD rights, it will need to fall under certain rules. It’ll have to be single storey with a maximum eaves height of 2.5m, and an overall height of 4m with a dual pitched roof (3m for other types). Structures erected within 2m of a boundary can be no taller than 2.5m. Outbuildings must not cover more than 50% of the original house’s outdoor space to count as PD. However, rules vary between councils and they are tighter in designated areas. You will always need specific consent if you own a listed building.