How close to the boundary can I build?

[Rickyy]

I want a bigger garage. One off the side of the house would be cheaper and big enough providing I could build it right up to the boundary, but I've a gut feeling I won't be allowed to.

Anybody clued up on planning regs that could advise?

[King Herald]

It varies from area to area, so definitely check with your local PP department before making any plans. Our front garage is right up to the boundary, but it has been there for years.

[AMV]

I would take a look around you area for people who have either an existing side garage and or a new side extension erected. That should give you a gage on how likely it would be accepted, of-course this is permitting people have been developing.

On another note i would take into account that you will require a party wall notice to be served.

[Equus]

There are no Planning rules (anywhere - it doesn't vary from Authority to Authority) that specifically stipulate that you can't build right up to a boundary, but it depends on the specific location (ie. the effect on the street scene).

Bear in mind that if you build close to, or right on, the boundary, the Party Wall Act will kick in.This is quite separate from Planning and not something the LPA will get involved in.

Also, whilst you have a right of future access for essential maintenance, under the Access to Neighbouring Land Act, you don't have an automatic right of access to your neighbour's land for the purposes of construction, so you need to think about how you're going to physically build and scaffold it, unless you get on well enough with your neighbour that you are confident they'll let you on to their land.

[kambites]

There's no hard-and-fast rules about how close you can build to the boundary, although as above you have no absolute right to go onto your neighbour's land to build it and they might complain if you try to put eves overhanging their land.

It'll be judged on this like whether it blocks light from the neighbours garden and/or where it sits in relation to the neighbour's windows. Your best bet is to draw up some rough sketches and take them to the local planning office for an opinion although a word of warnings about that - I was told pretty unequivocally than my extension would be denied planning permission on the grounds of "not being in keeping with the area" (despite other houses having identical extensions just down the road); eventually I just put the application in as it was and it passed.

I'd sound out your neighbours first. If they object, it's far less likely to get approved.


Depending on the exact layout. You might even be able to doing it under permitted development rights if you keep the roof line low enough. http://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2015/596/schedu...

Edited by kambites on Friday 29th December 09:44

[Fore Left]

Just stick a few more courses on the neighbour's wall. It'll be fine

[Equus]

kambites said:

It'll be judged on this like whether it blocks light from the neighbours garden and/or where it sits in relation to the neighbour's windows.

The other thing they often don't like (which may apply in this case, by the look of it) is where you have a definite 'rhythm' along the streetscape that proposed development disrupts... eg. a series of semis, separated by drives, that the development starts to turn into a 'terrace'.

In terms of buildability, I see that everything on the street appears to be rendered. You can lay bricks overhand, without access to your neighbours land, but I defy anyone to do a proper job of rendering, without such access.

kambites said:

Your best bet is to draw up some rough sketches and take them to the local planning office for an opinion although a word of warnings about that - I was told pretty unequivocally than my extension would be denied planning permission on the grounds of "not being in keeping with the area" (despite other houses having identical extensions just down the road); eventually I just put the application in as it was and it passed.

Most Local Authorities now charge for this advice (called a 'Pre Application Enquiry'), and because of its very nature, they will tend to be cautious and conservative in the advice they give. For a Householder Application (which only costs £172 for the full application, where the pre-app fee itself might typically be £75-£95, and not refundable against a later application), it can be of very limited benefit.