Height of neighbours garden room

longwalks1

Our neighbour has had a new summer room fitted at the bottom of their garden, on a raised concrete base. The eaves are level with our fence, and I think due to the raised base the eaves are 2.5m high. This means the pitch is quite a bit higher.  Tried to understand the planning portal and think, due to it being right up to the fence/boundary does the overall height need to be a maximum of 2.5m, or does it still refer to the eaves?

we don’t have curtains up at the back of the house (lounge and kitchen) as until last week, we were completely unoverlooked.  Now, anyone in there can see over the 6ft fence right into our lounge 

jack123w

Edited to remove an incorrect answer.

Google ‘Permitted Development Technical Guidance’ and you’ll find an illustrated Government document that makes it pretty clear.

jack123w

I evidently can’t read properly! I thought you were talking about an extension to the house. Yes, you’re right, for an outbuilding the total height can’t exceed 2.5m if it’s within 2m of a boundary.

grumbler

AFAIK 2.5m is the maximum overall height if within 2 meters of the boundary.

-taff

• No outbuilding on land forward of a wall forming the principal elevation.
• Outbuildings and garages to be single storey with maximum eaves height of 2.5 metres and maximum overall height of four metres with a dual pitched roof or three metres for any other roof.
• Maximum height of 2.5 metres in the case of a building, enclosure or container within two metres of a boundary of the curtilage of the dwellinghouse.
• No verandas, balconies or raised platforms (a platform must not exceed 0.3 metres in height)
• No more than half the area of land around the "original house"* would be covered by additions or other buildings.
• In National Parks, the Broads, Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty and World Heritage Sites the maximum area to be covered by buildings, enclosures, containers and pools more than 20 metres from the house to be limited to 10 square metres.
• On designated land* buildings, enclosures, containers and pools at the side of properties will require planning permission.
• Within the curtilage of listed buildings any outbuilding will require planning permission.

Saved you googlng.....

longwalks1

Thanks all, have been googling since posting and found the same advice you guys say. The eaves are 2.5m alone, and it’s a dual pitch roof so overall height is well over 3m, if not more.  Floor area is also nearer 20m2, so more than the advised 15m2.  Just want some ammunition in case their rather strange teenage daughter keeps standing in there at night looking into our (once private) lounge

DevilDamo

It would require Planning and would only require Building Regulations if it’s positioned within 1m of a boundary and is constructed with substantially combustible material. The floor area has nothing to do with Planning, but is a BR ‘thing’.

grumbler

DevilDamo said:

 The floor area has nothing to do with Planning, but is a BR ‘thing’.

 My common sense says it's exactly the opposite

Socajam

Get some cameras installed pointed right into their summer room - problem solved

TELLIT01

Contact your local authority to get their opinion.  Even if they say it doesn't comply with either planning or building regs it doesn't mean they will actually take any enforcement action.