Garden room drawings in Ealing

Suburban Ealing and the shape of the garden

Domestic gardens make up 25.6 per cent of the borough's land in the government's generalised land use database. On a regular suburban plot, the position of the room often matters more than its size.

In Ealing a room at the far end is usually the easiest to justify, because it is furthest from the house and from neighbours' windows. We also draw the boundary elevation, since a long blank wall that stands next to a neighbour's patio is what draws objections.

The national coverage rule applies in the background: Buildings may not cover more than 50% of the curtilage (excluding the original house). We total sheds, garages and patios before adding a room, since those quickly use up a smaller garden.

Conservation areas, listed houses and Green Belt

Ealing has 31 conservation areas and Historic England records 309 list entries, 6 at Grade I, plus 5 registered parks and gardens. About 6 per cent of the borough is Green Belt.

These matter because of what the order says. For a listed house: Garden buildings within the curtilage of a listed building are not permitted development. In a conservation area: On article 2(3) land, no outbuilding between a side wall and the boundary.

The council has an Article 4 direction on houses in multiple occupation, which makes the incidental use rule more important here. A room that is lived in separately changes the status of the house, and permitted development for a garden building no longer covers it.

How Ealing has decided householder applications

Ealing decided 946 householder applications in its latest published year, granted 87.2 per cent and decided 95.3 per cent in time. In the planning return the figures are 993 decisions and 87.7 per cent granted. These cover all home alterations.

We did not find a footprint or height limit for garden buildings in the SPD that we can quote with a page reference, so we design to the national Class E limits and answer the SPD's tests on scale and siting. The height limit in the order is: Max 2.5 m if within 2 m of a boundary; otherwise 4 m dual-pitched roof or 3 m any other roof.

The average Ealing home sold for £585,216, and prices changed by 0.8 per cent over the past year.

Siting, windows and the neighbours

The SPD asks for subordinate scale, and the clearest way to show that is a plan with the house and room at the same scale, plus a section through the garden. We add both. The room reads as a small building at the end of a long space, which is what the guidance wants.

Windows are the second test. Glazing facing the house is welcome. A window in the boundary wall invites an objection about overlooking, so we keep the boundary side blank or high-level and give light through the garden elevation and a rooflight.

Where a garden has a rear access lane or a side gate, we show how materials arrive and where spoil goes. The roof finish is stated too, as a green roof or dark membrane reads quietly from the upper windows next door.

Certificate, application and Building Regulations

If the house is clear of every designation and the room fits Class E, a Lawful Development Certificate in Ealing records it. If not, we prepare planning drawings in Ealing. The fee for works within an existing home's boundary is £272.

Building Regulations are separate. The larger exemption is worded Detached single-storey building up to 30 m², no sleeping accommodation, at least 1 m from the boundary or substantially non-combustible, is exempt. A room outside it, or one with a bed, needs our building regulations drawings in Ealing.

The council's levy is £300/m² (Central Ealing); £150/m² (Rest of LPA). Mayoral CIL (MCIL2) £60/m² indexed additionally.. It rarely affects a small garden building, but a larger habitable one can raise the question, and we flag it.

Price, checking and nearby boroughs

A set starts at £495 with VAT included. It has the block plan with distances to each boundary, floor plan, elevations, a section and a materials note. A second chartered technologist checks every sheet and we redraw free of charge if the council asks for changes.

For the wider service see architectural drawings in Ealing. Neighbours often compare garden room drawings in Hounslow and Brent.