Most garden rooms in Whitley Bay and Monkseaton can be built without an application under permitted development. Our planning permission guide explains the rules in depth, and the main ones are below.
- Single storey only, and not in front of the principal elevation of the house.
- No taller than 2.5 m within 2 m of a boundary. Further away, up to 4 m with a dual-pitched roof or 3 m with any other roof, with eaves no higher than 2.5 m.
- No veranda, balcony or raised platform over 0.3 m high.
- Outbuildings and extensions together covering no more than half the land around the original house.
- Used as an office, gym, studio or similar, not as a bedroom or annexe.
When you will need to apply
In a conservation area such as Monkseaton, you cannot build an outbuilding between the side of the house and the boundary without permission. Listed buildings and flats, including the Tyneside flats common near the seafront, have no permitted development rights for outbuildings. Article 4 directions or planning conditions on newer estates can also remove these rights. Next door in North Shields and Tynemouth, several more conservation areas apply.
A Lawful Development Certificate from the council gives formal certainty. The householder application fee in England was set at £528 from April 2025 and is now index-linked, so check the Planning Portal fee calculator for the current figure.
Building Regulations
Rooms under 15 m² with no sleeping accommodation are generally exempt. From 15 to 30 m², they are generally exempt if at least 1 m from every boundary or built mainly from non-combustible materials. Over 30 m², approval is needed. New electrical circuits must meet Part P. We explain where your design sits, and we recommend confirming the details with the council. Our garden room costs page explains how size affects the price.
