Garden rooms and outbuildings in South Somerset
2,166 applications since 2020. 1,837 approved and 116 refused. Refused: about 1 in 17 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 | 220 | 158 | 9 |
| 2025 | 274 | 249 | 5 |
| 2024 | 261 | 232 | 9 |
| 2023 | 297 | 257 | 21 |
| 2022 | 373 | 320 | 20 |
| 2021 | 415 | 349 | 27 |
| 2020 | 326 | 272 | 25 |
Architects and agents, last 5 years
| Firm | Approved | Decided |
|---|---|---|
| Paul Day Architectural Designs | 49 | 50 |
| Clive Miller Planning Ltd | 41 | 42 |
| Whiteacre Planning Ltd | 40 | 42 |
| Alex Ravelo Design | 32 | 32 |
| Tj Hawkins Architectural Design Consultants | 31 | 33 |
| Ian Pamplin Architecture | 30 | 32 |
| Tandem Architects | 19 | 19 |
| Della Valle Architects | 18 | 21 |
| Scope Architectural | 17 | 19 |
| Paul Rowe Architectural Services | 15 | 16 |