Planning
Do you need planning permission for garden projects in Wiltshire and the Cotswolds?
Most garden work is permitted development. The usual triggers for permission are decking over 0.3m, a garden room over 2.5m within 2m of a boundary, an impermeable front driveway over 5 square metres, and almost anything on designated land or a listed property.
In short
Most domestic garden work in England is permitted development and needs no planning application. You generally need permission when a structure exceeds the permitted-development height or footprint, when you pave more than five square metres of front garden with an impermeable surface that drains to the road, or when the property is on designated land such as the Cotswolds National Landscape or a conservation area, or is listed, where permitted-development rights are restricted. The position for each common project is set out below.
The thresholds
Where the line sits
Most of the work we do is permitted development, which means it needs no planning application at all. The rules exist to keep larger or more visible structures, and surface water, under control, so the triggers are about height, footprint, drainage and location rather than the wo
| Project | Needs permission when | Permitted development? |
|---|---|---|
| Decking | Over 0.3m, or over 50% garden coverage | Yes if no more than 0.3m high |
| Patio at ground level | Rarely (designated land or listed) | Yes |
| Driveway to the front | Impermeable, over 5 square metres, draining to the road | Yes if permeable, any size |
| Dropped kerb | Access onto a classified road | Highways consent, not planning |
| Garden room or office | Over 2.5m within 2m of a boundary, or used for sleeping | Yes within outbuilding limits |
| Pergola or gazebo | Over the height limits, or on designated land | Yes within outbuilding limits |
| Garden wall or fence | Above those heights | Yes up to 2m (1m next to a road) |
Source: Gardenscape. Figures as of 2026-06-01.
Yes, no, or it depends
Scenarios in plain language
Yes. In a National Landscape such as the Cotswolds, or in a conservation area, permitted-development rights are tighter, and an Article 4 direction can remove them altogether for specified work. Always confirm the status of the property before you start.
From 1 April 2026 a householder application in England is £548, and works within the curtilage such as walls, fences and access points are £272, plus the Planning Portal service charge of around £91. A lawful development certificate is roughly half the householder fee.
It is a formal confirmation from the council that your project is lawful permitted development. It is optional, but it removes any doubt and is useful evidence when you come to sell.
Where a project needs an application or a highways consent, we flag it at the design stage and can manage it for you.
The local layer
Designated land and Article 4
Most of the work we do is permitted development, which means it needs no planning application at all. The rules exist to keep larger or more visible structures, and surface water, under control, so the triggers are about height, footprint, drainage and location rather than the work itself. Two things change the picture more than any other. The first is designated land. Much of our area is in or beside the Cotswolds National Landscape, and many of the towns and villages have conservation areas, both of which tighten permitted-development rights. The second is a listed property, where consent i
A note
General guidance, not advice. Rules vary by site, and Article 4 directions or conditions can change what applies. Check with your local authority and the Planning Portal.
Arrange a consultation
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Read next
- Do you need planning permission for decking?
- Do you need planning permission for a driveway?
- Do you need planning permission for a garden room or office?
- What is a lawful development certificate, and do you need one?
- Permitted development on designated land: the Cotswolds, National Landscapes and conservation areas