Are garden sheds / summer houses restricted?

[craigiep]

Are there any legal restrictions on garden sheds / summer houses being placed up against a wall which divides 2 properties? Must they be under a certain height, width, a certain distance from the wall, or anything like that? Are there any circumstances under which planning permission is required for one?

[Buenchico]

Planning permission is required if the shed is placed in your front garden (unless you've got such a long front garden that the shed would be at least from the highway).

Planning permission is also required if the shed is over 3m high (or 4m if it has a ridged roof).

Planning permission is required if the volume of the shed exceeds 10 cubic metres and you live in a listed building, conservation area, National Park, designated area of outstanding natural beauty or the Broads.

Planning permission is required if the shed (or a combination of the shed and pre-existing outbuildings) will occupy more than 50% of the land surrounding the original property.

Planning permission is required if the shed is to be used for 'non-domestic' purposes.

You also need to check the deeds of the house for any relevant covenants.

Otherwise, you can probably erect your shed / summer house without needing planning permission:
http://www.communities.gov.uk/pub/445/Planning AGuideforHouseholders_id1500445.pdf20m

Chris

[Buenchico]

Oops!
It's not very important (unless you've got a long front garden and you intend to put your shed / summer house in it) but I've just noticed that the measurement of 20m seems to have mysteriously disappeared from the first paragraph above.

Chris