Do I need planning permission for a log cabin in my garden?

Often, log cabins built in your garden will need planning permission, but this will depend upon several things. If you are planning on living in your cabin or you intend to rent it out as a holiday home, then yes, you will need to apply for planning permission from your local authority. Holiday homes are classified as commercial entities, this is the reason why they are subject to this process.

You may also need to apply for planning permission if you want to use your log cabin as a school cabin or office. To decide if you need to apply or not, you must ascertain if the structure will have a bathroom or somewhere to wash clothes. If it will, then yes, planning permission might be required as this type of cabin could be classed as a potential residential home.

There are other issues to think about and many of these will determine whether permission is needed. For example, if your cabin will be taller than 2.5 meters and it is located less than 2 meters of any boundary, then it is likely that planning permission must be sought. Permission will also be needed if you plan on building more than 1 storey. 

It is usually best to check with your own local authority as there may be some differences between geographical areas and what is deemed to need planning permission or not. It may also be worthwhile contacting your planning office to see if your planned outdoor huts and gazebos fall under permitted development rules, which can mean you can avoid the planning application process.

There are situations when you will not need planning permission for log cabins. These could include attaching it to your existing home; often, in these circumstances, the cabin will be classed as an extension and will not fall under planning rules. 

You may also avoid the planning office if the cabin is built at the back of your current property and does not take up more than half of the available space in your garden for example. If you intend to use it as a garden cabin room only and not to spend too much time there, again, you may not need planning permission, but it is always advisable to check this first.

To discuss planning permission and whether your intended cabin will fall into these categories, call our team today at Logspan.