Many clients are worried they need planning permission for outdoor structures like gazebos and dining pods, and that lengthy planning consultation will affect their business.
Whether or not you will require planning permission will depend on your outdoor shelter and whether you have a listed property.
To help, we have talked to a planning expert and researched the legislation surrounding planning permission for outdoor shelters and pavement licences.
In short summary;
- No planning permission needed for gazebos as long as they are under 4m tall (2.5m at the eaves) and class as moveable outdoor structures (not concreted into the ground)
- Pavement licences now extended to March 2025 with possibility they will be made permanent.
- Jumbrellas are classed like flag poles or lamp posts you do not need planning permission for them
Planning Permission for Moveable Outdoor Structures
Open sided temporary structures still do not need planning permission. There must be 1 side open at least (side blinds don’t count).
No planning permission is required for these structures up to a total height of 4m (at the pitch), 2.5m (at the eaves) as long as it is 2m from a boundary.
They can be ground fixed but not permanently concreted into the ground, if footings are below ground this classes as ‘a development’. ‘Developments’ do need planning permission.
There are some restrictions where planning needs to be sought from local authority;
These are:
- If the proposed structure is blocking the visibility for drivers/road users
- If the structure is at a listed building/in AONB or National Park
- If you are placing the structure on a car park and restricting parking capacity that might impact on road users
- If there is advertising on the side of the structure that is visible from the road and classes as an ‘advertising site’ (like a billboard)
If in doubt, please talk to your local planning authority.
What if You Have a Listed Property?
Nick, an expert at Framptons Planning, has offered us the following advice regarding planning permission for listed buildings:
“In general terms Listed Building Consent is required for all works of demolition, alteration or extension to a Listed Building that affect its character as a building of special architectural or historic interest.
The requirement for Listed Building Consent applies to all types of works and to all parts of those buildings covered by the listing’s protection if the works affect the character of the building. This includes objects or structures fixed to the Listed Building, and to objects or structures within the curtilage (This is the area surrounding the building).
The owner of the property can obtain details of why the building is Listed from Historic England’s website. This can act as a useful guide as to what specific features have led to the building being Listed.
If the building is Listed Framptons would recommend that pre-application advice is sought from the Local Planning Authority to confirm whether Listed Building Consent is required before the works take place.”
Pavement Licences
If you are worried about pavement license legislation changing, we have links below to the relevant legislation updates.
The Pavement Licenses legislation was updated with an extended deadline until March 2025 (if you already had a licence and applied for it to be renewed before 30th September 2022).
“furniture” means—
(a)
counters or stalls for selling or serving food or drink,
(b)
tables, counters or shelves on which food or drink can be placed,
(c)
chairs, benches or other forms of seating, and
(d)
umbrellas, barriers, heaters and other articles used in connection with the outdoor consumption of food or drink;
Shop Commercial Outdoor Shelters
In Summary
Hopefully, this helps to give some links to legislation on planning permission requirements for outdoor moveable structures and pavement licences.
Please do talk to your local planning authority if you are worried or unsure.
We’d be delighted to talk with you about your plans for outdoor shelters or pavement furniture and help as much as we can.
01926 889922