Siting a Shed - Building Regs

[andrew_d_may]

I want to put a shed in the garden. Just a small one, probably about

6' by 8'. As far as I can make out such a structure would be exempt from building control under schedule 2 - Exempt building and work. It would appear to come under class VI - small detached buildings. The relevant section stating:

CLASS VI

Small detached buildings

1. A detached single story building, having a floor area which does not exceed 30m2, which contains no sleeping accommodation and is a building- (a) no point of which is less than one metre from the boundary of its curtilage; or (b) which is constructed substantially of non-combustible material.

1. A detached building designed and intended to shelter people from the effects of nuclear, chemical or conventional weapons, and not used for any other purpose, if- (a) its floor area does not exceed 30m2; and (b) the excavation for the building is no closer to any exposed part of another building or structure than a distance equal to the depth of the excavation plus one metre.

2. A detached building, having a floor area which does not exceed 15m2, which contains no sleeping accommodation

A 6' x 8' shed would therefore come under subsection 3, being a detached building with a floor area of less than 15m^2. If it comes under subsection 3 then there is no restriction on location. Of course it also matches the description of subsection 1, a detached building with a floor area of less than 30m^2. If it comes under subsection 1 then it must be at least 1m from a boundary unless it is constructed of non-combustible material. The person that I spoke to in the local building control office thought that this was the case but couldn't say what, if anything, then came under subsection 3. If that is the case then as far as I can see subsection 3 is irrelevant. The guidance notes from the ODPM are no more helpful.

Has anyone on this newsgroup come across this before or can anyone shed [sic] any light on it? I would really prefer to place it near the boundary, my neighbour has no objection, and would prefer not to have to go for a metal storage solution.

Many Thanks,

Andrew

Oh, and before anyone asks it is most definitely not intended to shelter people from the effects of a nuclear attack, just store a lawnmower and bikes.

[Christian McArdle]

Yes, you can put a wooden garden shed next to the fence, just like the approximately 15 million or so similarly located such buildings.

Christian.

[Christian McArdle]

P.S. There's no "of course" about it. The proposed building is not described under subsection 1, as subsection 1 defines a building of less than 30m2 that is either far from the boundary or non-combustible. As it is combustible and within 1m of the boundary, it fails to meet the description and subsection 1 is not applicable.

Christian.

[Phil L]

andrew_d [e-mail] wrote: :: I want to put a shed in the garden. Just a small one, probably :: about 6' by 8'. As far as I can make out such a structure would be :: exempt from building control under schedule 2 - Exempt building :: and work. It would appear to come under class VI - small detached :: buildings. The relevant section stating: :: :: :: CLASS VI :: :: Small detached buildings :: :: 1. A detached single story building, having a floor area which :: does not exceed 30m2, which contains no sleeping accommodation and :: is a building- :: (a) no point of which is less than one metre from the boundary of :: its curtilage; or :: (b) which is constructed substantially of non-combustible material. :: :: 2. A detached building designed and intended to shelter people :: from the effects of nuclear, chemical or conventional weapons, and :: not used for any other purpose, if- :: (a) its floor area does not exceed 30m2; and :: (b) the excavation for the building is no closer to any exposed :: part of another building or structure than a distance equal to the :: depth of the excavation plus one metre. :: :: 3. A detached building, having a floor area which does not exceed :: 15m2, which contains no sleeping accommodation :: :: :: A 6' x 8' shed would therefore come under subsection 3, being a :: detached building with a floor area of less than 15m^2. If it comes :: under subsection 3 then there is no restriction on location. Of :: course it also matches the description of subsection 1, a detached :: building with a floor area of less than 30m^2. If it comes under :: subsection 1 then it must be at least 1m from a boundary unless it :: is constructed of non-combustible material. The person that I :: spoke to in the local building control office thought that this :: was the case but couldn't say what, if anything, then came under :: subsection 3. If that is the case then as far as I can see :: subsection 3 is irrelevant. The guidance notes from the ODPM are :: no more helpful. :: :: Has anyone on this newsgroup come across this before or can anyone :: shed [sic] any light on it? I would really prefer to place it near :: the boundary, my neighbour has no objection, and would prefer not :: to have to go for a metal storage solution. :: :: Many Thanks, :: :: Andrew :: :: :: Oh, and before anyone asks it is most definitely not intended to :: shelter people from the effects of a nuclear attack, just store a :: lawnmower and bikes.

If it's a timber shed, then you can put it where you like, if it's a brick built single skinned shed, then it has to go at least 1 metre from your boundary fence.

Building regulations don't cover temporary structures like sheds, greenhouses or wendy houses, this is why they are called *building* regs, anything else can be taken down and shifted.

[Chris J Dixon]

That seems to be exactly the opposite of what section 1 above states.

However, as has already been said, there are many millions of wooden sheds sited in such a way.

Chris

[Phil L]

Chris J Dixon wrote: :: Phil L wrote: :: ::: andrew_d [e-mail] wrote: ::::: I want to put a shed in the garden. Just a small one, probably ::::: about 6' by 8'. As far as I can make out such a structure would ::::: be exempt from building control under schedule 2 - Exempt ::::: building and work. It would appear to come under class VI - ::::: small detached buildings. The relevant section stating: ::::: ::::: CLASS VI ::::: ::::: Small detached buildings ::::: ::::: 1. A detached single story building, having a floor area which ::::: does not exceed 30m2, which contains no sleeping accommodation ::::: and is a building- ::::: (a) no point of which is less than one metre from the boundary ::::: of its curtilage; or ::::: (b) which is constructed substantially of non-combustible ::::: material. ::::: ::: If it's a timber shed, then you can put it where you like, if ::: it's a brick built single skinned shed, then it has to go at ::: least 1 metre from your boundary fence. ::: :: That seems to be exactly the opposite of what section 1 above :: states. :: Section 1 deals with buildings, as do all the other sections! a temporary structure is not a building, like a marquee, tent or dog kennel, a wooden shed requires no building regulations, plans or anything else.

[Rob Morley]

But you said a brick shed would need to be a metre from the boundary. Section 1(b) says it doesn't (unless you use combustible bricks, of course).

[andrew_d_may]

Class IV discusses exemptions for 'temporary buildings' and that is defined as any building which is not intended to remain where erected for more than 28 days. I hope my shed will last al little longer than that :-)

Andrew

[John Anderton]

Not according to my local planners and building control department.

If it's big enough to exceed the planning/building control limits then it needs planning permission/to conform to building regs.

Cheers,

John

[John Anderton]

Nope. If it's a shed of any material smaller than 10 cubic metres in external volume (i.e. about 6' x 8') then (barring weird covenants) you can put it where you like as long as it's not closer to the road than your house

If it's higher than 4 metres (with a pitched roof or 3 metres without) or covers more than 50% of the garden (in conjunction with all other sheds etc.) or is bigger than 10 cubic metres and is within 5 metres of the house the you need planning permission (see here :

Class E) and, as stated higher up the thread if it's really big (greater than 15 square metres floor area) building regs kick in.

Nice theory but wrong. Building regs and planning regs do cover sheds and wendy houses over certain limits (which most sheds and wendy houses don't exceed)

Cheers,

John

[Mike]

or living in a conservation area or National park ...

[John Anderton]

I don't know about National parks but certainly in the conservation area I live in anything under 10 cubic metres is still OK,

Cheers,

John

[robertharvey]

There is some confusion about all this. Particularly about the relationship between planning permission and building regulations. The crossover seems to vary between councils. Pop along to

and click on "Buildings or Enclosures". That suggests you can cover half the garden in sheds if you want. There is no mention of the 1m rule.

But then if you telephone the planners (not the building inspectors) at the same council, you get a different answer. AFAIK around here /any/ combustible building, temporary or otherwise, has to be at least a metre from the boundary. But you don't get that in writing, oh dear me no.

[John Anderton]

It sounds suspiciously like your planners have difficulty reading legal documents. It's not uncommon, I've met at least one who didn't seem able to comprehend a simple sentence in an HMSO document. OTOH I've also met several very knowledgable and helpful planners, you win some, you lose some,

Cheers,

John

[Christian McArdle]

Whatever their interpretation, they can do nothing about it. You are entitled by law to do so, unless there is a conservation area or something.

If they took you to court, you'd win.

Christian.

[robertharvey]

I don't want to annoy them. They'll only put the council tax up by 13% again, and reband me house two bands up...