How Do Garden Designers Handle Planning Permission and Building Regulations?

For many homeowners, one of the biggest concerns when commissioning a garden or landscape project is: “Will it get approved?” Whether it’s transforming a woodland-edge garden, reimagining the grounds of an historic estate, or designing around a listed mill, navigating planning permission and building regulations can feel daunting.

At Joe Perkins, our role extends beyond crafting beautiful, functional gardens. We guide clients through the regulatory landscape, ensuring designs comply with planning rules, listed building consent requirements, and building regulations while achieving the intended aesthetic.

Understanding Planning Permission in a Garden and Landscape Context

Planning permission is the local authority’s approval to carry out development on land, including new structures, significant landscaping, or changes in land use. Many smaller garden works, such as modest decking, fences, or outbuildings, can fall under permitted development rights, requiring no formal application.

However, more complex or sensitive projects often need full planning permission. For instance, our work at The Old Mill required careful attention to the historic mill building, while our Woodland Edge Garden needed ecological considerations and tree protection measures. Similarly, where we have worked within historic landscapes, additions like garden rooms and boundary walls have had to comply with both planning permission and listed building consent.

Planning permission is typically required if you:

• Work in conservation areas, National Parks, or Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB).
  

• Make alterations to a property with listed status, including garden structures.
  

• Exceed permitted development limits for height, footprint, or garden coverage.
  

• Carry out major earthworks, retaining walls, or changes affecting drainage or protected habitats.
  

Understanding these requirements early is critical to avoiding delays or costly redesigns.

How Garden Designers Prepare Planning Applications

Homeowners often find the planning process complex. Our design practice approaches it systematically:

1. Regulatory Audit – We review the site’s planning history, listing status, and any constraints such as Tree Preservation Orders. For example, in our Woodland Edge Garden, we mapped tree root zones to ensure minimal disturbance.
   

2. Pre-Application Advice – Submitting a pre-application enquiry helps clarify constraints early. For historic landscapes, early dialogue with the council can shape the positioning of garden rooms and steps.
   

3. Detailed Drawings and Documentation – Scaled plans, elevations, material schedules, and design statements are prepared. At The Old Mill, a heritage statement showed how terraces, planting, and lighting respected the historic setting.
   

4. Specialist Input – Heritage consultants, archaeologists, or engineers are involved as needed for sensitive or structurally complex sites.
   

5. Coordination with Engineers – Retaining walls, drainage, or structural features are fully integrated with building control requirements.
   

6. Submission and Negotiation – We liaise with planning officers, respond to queries, and adjust designs accordingly.
   

7. Approval and Conditions – Once approved, we help clients satisfy any conditions, such as materials, landscaping, or lighting requirements.
   

By embedding these steps into our design process, clients achieve gardens that are visually striking and fully compliant.

Planning Permission vs Building Regulations: Key Differences

It’s essential to distinguish planning permission from building regulations:

• Planning Permission: Focuses on visual impact, use, massing, and context.
  

• Building Regulations: Ensure safety, structural integrity, drainage, and energy efficiency.
  

For instance, small outbuildings may be permitted under size limits, while larger terraces and garden rooms might require full compliance with building control, including structural calculations and drainage solutions.

Integrating both approvals from the outset ensures a seamless transition from design to construction.

The Importance of Early Pre-Application Advice

Starting the permissions conversation early can save time and reduce risk. Pre-application enquiries allow councils to flag constraints and provide feedback before designs are finalised.

• At The Old Mill, pre-app consultation shaped the placement of terraces and lighting, protecting the historic character.
  

• In the Woodland Edge Garden, it clarified ecological constraints, allowing a design that delighted the client while complying with regulations.
  

Proactive planning ensures that design creativity isn’t stifled by regulatory requirements later in the project.

FAQs

Can I apply for planning permission before buying a property? 

Yes. Pre-application enquiries or conditional planning applications can be submitted, though local authorities may require ownership certificates or notifications. This approach provides clarity on potential constraints before purchase.

Do you guarantee planning permission?

No designer can guarantee approval; the decision lies with the local planning authority. At Joe Perkins, we provide expert guidance, strong submissions, and proactive negotiation, as demonstrated across our projects like The Old Mill, our Woodland Edge Garden, and Sheffield Park.