Garden rooms and outbuildings in Durham
4,573 applications since 2016. 3,448 approved and 126 refused. Refused: about 1 in 28 here, about 1 in 7 across the councils we cover.
Last updated 8 November 2026.
Without planning permission
- Single storey, not in front of the house
- No higher than 2.5 m within 2 m of a boundary; otherwise 4 m with a dual-pitched roof or 3 m any other
- Together with other buildings, no more than half the garden and grounds
- For use incidental to the house, not a separate home
England, houses only. Flats, listed buildings, conservation areas and Article 4 directions change this. The full rules.
Year by year
| Year | Applications | Approved | Refused |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 259 | 26 | 6 |
| 2025 | 324 | 63 | 14 |
| 2024 | 307 | 105 | 14 |
| 2023 | 381 | 319 | 20 |
| 2022 | 443 | 394 | 13 |
| 2021 | 573 | 497 | 11 |
| 2020 | 476 | 416 | 9 |
| 2019 | 463 | 408 | 10 |
| 2018 | 412 | 372 | 13 |
| 2017 | 478 | 436 | 9 |
| 2016 | 457 | 412 | 7 |
Architects and agents, last 5 years
| Firm | Approved | Decided |
|---|---|---|
| Glasper Lee Design Ltd | 25 | 27 |
| DH Drawings Ltd | 22 | 23 |
| Colling Morris Architectural Services Ltd | 21 | 23 |
| Ryder Architects | 18 | 19 |
| Ramshaw Architecture | 16 | 16 |
| Aspect Design | 11 | 11 |
| Cummings Architects Ltd | 11 | 11 |
| Dark Skies Design | 11 | 11 |
| Maria Ferguson Planning Limited | 11 | 11 |
| CR Design Services | 9 | 11 |
Neighbouring councils
| Council | Approved | Refused | How often |
|---|---|---|---|
| Darlington | 1,603 | 73 | about 1 in 23 |
| Gateshead | 1,027 | 64 | about 1 in 17 |
| Hartlepool | 2 | 0 | none |
| Stockton-on-Tees | 1,224 | 44 | about 1 in 29 |
| Westmorland and Furness | 7 | 0 | none |
| Yorkshire Dales | 547 | 47 | about 1 in 13 |