Garden Work

Swimming pools, garages, garden sheds and greenhouses

Planning permission may not be required provided:

The development is not within 20 metres of a highway. If the original house is less than 20 metres from a highway, any development must not be nearer the highway than the original house
Any building greater than 10 cubic metres is not within five metres of the house. Such buildings may sometimes be covered by the restrictions in the Extensions and other alterations section (bookmark)
In the case of a ridged roof, its height does not exceed four metres and, in any other case, three metres
Any building is not greater than 10 cubic metres, if the house is listed or if it is in a conservation area or an AONB
The total area of any development does not exceed half of the garden area of the house

Note: With regard to garages, an application for planning permission may be needed to form or alter an access to a highway, particularly if it is a classified road

Containers for storage of oil for domestic heating

Planning permission may not be required provided:

Their capacity is not more than 3,500 litres
They are not more than three metres above ground
They are at least 20 metres from the highway or, if the original house is less than 20 metres from the highway, not closer to the highway than the original house

Hard standing within the garden of a house for domestic purposes

Planning permission may not be required provided:

It is for a patio or a car parking space

Note: An application for planning permission may be needed to form or alter an access to a highway, particularly if it is a classified road - consent will always be required from the Highway Authority – Kent County Council.

Gates, fences or walls

Planning permission may not be required provided:

They do not exceed one metre in height next to a highway used by vehicles or two metres elsewhere
They do not exceed the height of any existing gate, fence or wall if these are greater than the heights referred to above
The house is not listed