In many cases, these structures will be exempt from requiring approval under the Building Regulations if they meet certain exemption criteria.

The important factors are:

• Building Regulations do not usually apply unless you want to sleep in it
• Under 15m2 internal floor area can be installed close to any rear boundary
• Over 15m2 and up to 30m2 needs to be a minimum 1m from any boundary

If you want to put up small detached buildings such as a garden room in your garden, Building Regulations (except Part P for Electrical works) will not normally apply if the floor area of the building is less than 15 square metres INTERNAL and contains NO sleeping accommodation.

If the INTERNAL floor area of the building is between 15 square metres and 30 square metres, you will not normally be required to apply for building regulations approval, providing that the building contains NO sleeping accommodation, and is either at least one metre from any boundary, or it is constructed substantially of non-combustible materials. (*As a solution to this it is possible to coat the cladding of your garden room with a non-combustible Intumescent paint or install fire resistant boarding.