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GPDO 2015 England Permitted Development rules · statutory fees effective 1 April 2026

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Garden & Outbuildings Schedule 2, Part 1 · Class E

Shed, Garden Office & Garden Room Planning Rules (Class E)

Sheds, summerhouses, garden offices, gyms and log cabins are Permitted Development under Schedule 2, Part 1, Class E if they meet strict height, siting and use limits. The most important number is 2.5m – the maximum overall height for any outbuilding within 2.0m of a boundary. Enter your design below for an instant Class E verdict.

If PD
£0
Application
£272
Decision
8 wks

Step 1 · Your project

Sheds & Garden Rooms checker

Is any part within 2.0m of a boundary?

Includes roof overhangs and gutters. Applies to every boundary – side, rear and front.

Roof style
2.5m

Measured from the highest natural ground level immediately next to the building, including any base or decking frame.

How will it be used?
Is it forward of the front wall of the house?
Will all buildings and extensions cover over 50% of the garden?

Count existing sheds, garages and extensions added since 1948 – not the original house.

Conservation area, National Park, National Landscape or WHS – and beside the house?

On Article 2(3) land Class E does not allow outbuildings between a side wall of the house and the boundary.

Rules reflect the GPDO 2015 (England) for houses. Flats, maisonettes, listed buildings and Article 4 areas have restricted rights. Disclaimer.

Step 2 · Live statutory assessment

Permitted Development – Class E

Class E

Your 2.5m outbuilding meets the Class E height, siting and use limits. No planning application is needed.

  • Overall height 2.5m is within the 2.5m limit (Within 2.0m of a boundary, Flat / pent / mono-pitch roof).
  • Incidental use (office, gym, storage or hobby) is covered by Class E.
  • Sited behind the principal elevation of the house.
  • Total coverage stays under the 50% curtilage limit.
SIDE ELEVATION – CLASS E HEIGHT & BOUNDARY
HOUSE BOUNDARY MAX HEIGHT 2.5m 2.5m 2.0m ZONE WITHIN 2m OF BOUNDARY

England fees & timings (from 1 April 2026)

Council application fee

£0

Exempt under Class E

Lawful Development Certificate

£136

Advisable for £10k+ garden rooms

Decision time

0 weeks

Build immediately

Applying online via the Planning Portal adds a £91 service charge (inc. VAT).

Builder & neighbour spec sheet

Export these exact limits and your answers to share with your contractor.

At a glance

Sheds & Garden Rooms: the statutory limits in England

  • 2.5m maximum overall height if any part of the building is within 2.0m of a boundary of the curtilage.
  • Elsewhere: 4.0m for a dual-pitched (apex) roof, 3.0m for any other roof – and the eaves can never exceed 2.5m.
  • Single storey only, and no part may sit forward of the principal elevation (usually the front wall of the house).
  • All outbuildings, extensions and other buildings must not cover more than 50% of the curtilage, excluding the footprint of the original house.
  • Use must be incidental to the house – home office, gym, hobby room, storage. No sleeping accommodation or self-contained living.
  • No verandas, balconies or raised platforms over 0.3m. On Article 2(3) land, no outbuilding between a side wall and the boundary.

Statutory reference

Legislation summary & 2026 fee table

England statutory planning fees effective 1 April 2026. Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland operate different regimes.

GPDO legislation and fee summary for Sheds & Garden Rooms
Primary legislation Town and Country Planning (General Permitted Development) (England) Order 2015 (SI 2015/596), as amended
GPDO Schedule / Part Schedule 2, Part 1
Class Class E – buildings incidental to the enjoyment of a dwellinghouse
Exact reference GPDO 2015 Sch.2 Pt.1 Class E, paras E.1(a)–(k), E.2, E.3
Standard application fee £272 – Outbuildings, walls, fences & gates
Lawful Development Certificate (proposed) £136 – optional proof the works are lawful
Planning Portal service charge £91 (inc. VAT) if submitted online
Council determination period 8 weeks
Key exclusions Not available to flats or maisonettes; restricted on Article 2(3) land and within the curtilage of a listed building.

Avoid enforcement

The 3 most common homeowner traps

Trap #1

Measuring from the wrong ground level

The GPDO measures height from ground level immediately adjacent to the building, and where the ground is uneven, from the highest part of it. But that is natural ground – a 200mm timber base or concrete plinth built on top counts towards your 2.5m. A ‘2.5m’ log cabin on a 150mm frame is 2.65m and not Permitted Development.

Trap #2

Forgetting gutters and overhangs in the 2m zone

If any part of the building – including roof overhangs, fascias and gutters – is within 2.0m of a boundary, the whole structure is capped at 2.5m. Siting a 3.0m flat-roof office at 2.1m from the fence with a 150mm overhang puts it inside the zone.

Trap #3

The 50% rule includes previous owners’ work

Coverage is calculated against the land around the original house (as it stood on 1 July 1948, or as first built if later). Every extension, conservatory, garage and shed added since counts – including ones built by previous owners – so large garden rooms in small terraced gardens often breach it.

Separate legal regimes

Building Regulations vs planning permission

Class E only settles the planning position. Building Regulations apply separately depending on size, location and use:

Under 15m² floor area
Detached outbuildings under 15m² internal floor area with no sleeping accommodation are exempt from Building Regulations.
15m² to 30m²
Exempt only if there is no sleeping accommodation and the building is at least 1m from every boundary or built substantially of non-combustible materials.
Over 30m² or with a bedroom
Full Building Regulations apply – Part A structure, Part B fire, Part L insulation, Part F ventilation and Part M where relevant.
Electrics (Part P)
A new outdoor circuit to a garden room is notifiable work – use a registered electrician who can self-certify, or notify Building Control before starting.

Most sheds need no Party Wall notice. But if the foundations (e.g. concrete strip footings) are dug within 3m of a neighbour’s building and deeper than its foundations, serve a Section 6 notice at least one month ahead; building a wall on the boundary line itself needs a Section 1 notice, also one month.

FAQs

Sheds & Garden Rooms: frequently asked questions

How close to the boundary can I build a garden room?

Planning law lets you build right up to the boundary, but if any part is within 2.0m the overall height is capped at 2.5m. Building Regulations add a further rule: a 15–30m² building within 1m of the boundary must be built substantially of non-combustible materials to stay exempt.

Can I put a toilet or shower in my garden office?

Yes – a WC or shower is compatible with incidental use, provided the building is not used as sleeping or self-contained accommodation. New drainage needs Building Regulations approval under Part H, and a pumped system is usually required where the outbuilding is below the house drains.

Do I need planning permission for a log cabin over 2.5m tall?

Only if it is within 2m of a boundary. Placed more than 2m away, a dual-pitched cabin can reach 4.0m (eaves still max 2.5m) and a flat-roof one 3.0m. If it breaches Class E you need an outbuilding application (£272 in England from April 2026).

Should I get a Lawful Development Certificate for a garden room?

It is optional, but for an expensive office or gym a proposed LDC (£136) gives you binding proof the building is lawful – useful when selling, and protection if a neighbour complains. Councils aim to decide LDCs within 8 weeks.

Sources: The Town and Country Planning (General Permitted Development) (England) Order 2015 and amendments (legislation.gov.uk); MHCLG ‘Permitted development rights for householders: technical guidance’; the Town and Country Planning (Fees for Applications…) (England) Regulations 2012 as amended; Building Regulations 2010 Approved Documents; Party Wall etc. Act 1996. Last reviewed 15 October 2026. See our editorial standards and disclaimer.

Related planning checkers

Incidental vs ancillary

Garden Annexes & Sleeping Accommodation

Why bedrooms need a £548 application, not Class E

Open checker
300mm rule

Decking & Raised Patios

Max 30cm above ground, 50% garden coverage

Open checker
2m / 1m rule

Fences, Walls & Trellis

2.0m rear limit, 1.0m next to a highway – trellis included

Open checker