Planning Permission and Building Regs for Outdoor Classrooms
We are constantly asked as to whether outdoor classrooms require planning permission and if they are also subject to building regulation approval. Always a tricky subject to have a 100% definitive answer but there are certain guidelines to work to. I will list these below:
Planning Permission – the majority of our outdoor classroom installations have been installed at schools without the need for planning permission as they fall under what is called Permitted Development Rights (PDR). And the below are the criteria for what constitutes permitted development:
By virtue of Part 7 Class M of the Town & Country Planning (General Permitted Development) Order 2015 the relevant provisions can be summarised as follows:-
The erection, extension or alteration of a school is permitted development provided that:-
(a) the cumulative gross floor space of any buildings erected, extended or altered would not exceed—
(i)25% of the gross floor space of the original school, college, university or hospital buildings; or
(ii)100 square metres,
whichever is the lesser;
(b) no part of the development would be within 5 metres of a boundary of the curtilage of the premises;
(c) no land used as a playing field at any time in the 5 years before the development commenced and remaining in this use, could no longer be so usedas the result of the development;
(d)the height of any new building erected would not exceed 5 metres;
(e)the height of the building as extended or altered would not exceed—
(i)if within 10 metres of a boundary of the curtilage of the premises, 5 metres; or
(ii)in all other cases, the height of the building being extended or altered;
(f)the development is not within the curtilage of a listed building;
But I do reiterate that we, as a company, are not planning consultants and we would always advise schools to check first with their local planning authority as to whether planning is required. A lot of planning authorities nowadays offer a “pre-app” service whereby you pay a nominal fee to the authority for their learned opinion before filing a full planning application.
Building Regulations – if an outdoor classroom building is less than 30m2, has no sleeping accommodation, is wholly detached from the main school building and is in excess of 1m from the boundary, then it is exempt from notification to the local authority. However, all good suppliers/manufacturers should follow the guidance in building regulations to ensure structural stability, adequate ventilation, safety glass is used where applicable, prevention from moisture ingress and a school should also ensure that the building is included in the school’s fire management plan.
For further information please contact the Hideout House Company on 01865 858982 or email: info@hideouthouse.com
