Garden rooms and planning permission in Ireland

The short answer

A garden room of up to 30 m² at the back of your house is normally exempted development, which means it does not need planning permission. Our Base 18, Base 23 and Base 30 models are all designed to stay within this size and within the height limit for flat roofs.

The conditions

• Size: the total floor area of all sheds, garden rooms and similar structures on your property must not exceed 30 m². Existing sheds count towards this total.
• Location: the building must be behind the front wall of the house (the building line), not to the front or side facing a public road.
• Open space: at least 25 m² of private open space must remain for the house after the building is put in place.
• Height: no more than 3 m for a flat roof (4 m applies only to a tiled or slated pitched roof). Our flat EPDM roofs are designed to stay under 3 m.
• Boundaries: keep a clear distance from your boundaries; we plan the position with you at the consultation stage.
• Use: the building must be used for purposes incidental to the enjoyment of the house, such as a home office, gym, sauna, studio or store. It must not be used for living or sleeping in.
• Finish: where the building is visible from a public road, its external finish should suit the house.

When the exemption does not apply

• The house is a protected structure, or is in an architectural conservation area.
• A condition of the original planning permission for your house removed exempted development rights.
• Certain designated areas (for example some flood zones or special amenity areas) where the council restricts exemptions.
• The building would be used as living accommodation or for sleeping.
• Existing garden structures already use up the 30 m² allowance.

If you are not sure

You can ask your local council for a Section 5 declaration. This is a formal decision on whether a specific project is exempted development. There is a small fee and a decision is normally issued within a few weeks. It is useful if your site is unusual, or if you want certainty before ordering.

If your project does need permission, you can still apply for planning permission in the normal way. We can supply drawings and specifications for your application.

Building Regulations and electrics

Exemption from planning permission does not remove the need to comply with the Building Regulations. The electrical connection between your house and the garden room must be carried out and certified by a Safe Electric registered electrician.

What we do

• We check the key exemption conditions with you during the first consultation.
• We recommend a size and position that keeps your project within the rules.
• We provide drawings and a specification for your records or for a Section 5 request.