Do I need planning permission for a log cabin?

Back in 2008, the Town and Country Planning rules for 'permitted development' changed.

The section that is the most relevant to a majority of garden building and garages in the garden was section E that outlined 'development within the curtilage of a dwelling house'.
The previous rules stated that there should be a 5 metre separation between your chosen garden building and your house - this rule no longer a requirement

The changed also stated developments with gardens of properties in 'conservation areas' and 'areas of outstanding natural beauty' are permitted, as long as the site is within 20 metres of the house.

Requirements:

- Maximum height of the 'eaves' of the building has a limit of 2500mm
- Said height should not be exceeded within 2 metres of a boundary
- All buildings that have a veranda, balcony, or a raised platform will need permission

Regarding planning permission for your log cabin, if you are able to meet the following criteria, you are exempt from needing any permission:

- Garden structures are to be sited in the garden of a detached or semi-detached property
- The property isn't in an area of conservation or outstanding natural beauty or similar category
- The property is not a listed building
- The cabin will not be between the house and a highway (or if it is there shall be a 20 metres distance from the highway)
- The cabin will not be above 4 metres in height
- Total area covered by buildings will not exceed half of the garden
- The cabin is not to be used commercially (home office is usually acceptable if it does not detract from the main use of the property)
- The cabin is not to be used as a dwelling
- There are no other covenants that prevent you from exercising your permitted developments rights

Please visit our website for further information about log cabins and more!

Timber used in log cabins

There are two types of timber than can be used in log cabins; pine and spruce.

Pine

Pine, also know as a redwood, is a material that is increasingly becoming used for a lot of the things that are used daily.

As pine isn't as dense as spruce, it will absorb water faster than the other timber.
Pine is used widely in gardens for fencing, posts, furniture, equipment etc.

Spruce

Spruce is a white-wood which won't discolour as much as pine may.

This particular timber is stronger structurally, is denser and has tighter knots.

The main difference between the two timbers is the density, which can impact the design of a log cabin. As pine and spruce behave differently, problems could arise when the two are mixed.The following problems could be:

The following problems could be:

- Splits and gaps caused by the different rates of expansion
- Pine should have treatment applied to it as it absorbs more water than spruce

View our selection of log cabins.

The benefits of living in a pine cabin

Bespoke Log Cabins from Pinewood

Garden log cabins and huts have been a primary living space for many years, however, it wouldn’t be a first choice when it comes to building and moving into a new home.
Living in a pine cabin, or any other wooden cabin comes along with many benefits:

Better insulation:
Steel and concrete are definitely sturdy materials but they come with a disadvantage, as they provide poor insulation for homes.
Pine provides brilliant insulation keeping in the heat and preventing heat loss, plus if it needs adjustment, it can be done easily for the accommodation of extra insulation.

Greater energy savings:
When energy efficiency is being determined, heat conductivity is often a factor that is unbeknownst to many.
A material’s conductivity rating is based upon the amount of heat the material absorbs/
Wood is four hundred times less conducive than steel and 8.5 times less conducive than concrete topping the ranks of a material’s low conductivity.

Meets more building codes:
Building codes regarding energy efficiency have been making an appearance in more municipalities all over the world, daily.
In present times, homeowners and builders are discovering that traditional building materials aren’t meeting those codes as well as wood is doing.
Wood has a versatile nature, so it means that is can be moulded and constructed to match any form of energy efficiency requirement no matter the climate.
Pinewood bespoke log cabins are fast proving to be a preferred residence.
For more information about our Bespoke log Cabins and what we can offer you, please visit our website for more Log Cabins for Gardens.

The benefits of living in a pine cabin

Log Cabins and huts have been a primary living space for many years, however, it wouldn’t be a first choice when it comes to building and moving into a new home.
Living in a garden log cabin, or any other wooden cabin comes along with many benefits:

Better insulation:
Steel and concrete are definitely sturdy materials but they come with a disadvantage, as they provide poor insulation for homes.
Pine provides brilliant insulation keeping in the heat and preventing heat loss, plus if it needs adjustment, it can be done easily for the accommodation of extra insulation.

Greater energy savings:
When energy efficiency is being determined, heat conductivity is often a factor that is unbeknownst to many.
A material’s conductivity rating is based upon the amount of heat the material absorbs/
Wood is four hundred times less conducive than steel and 8.5 times less conducive than concrete topping the ranks of a material’s low conductivity.

Meets more building codes:
Building codes regarding energy efficiency have been making an appearance in more municipalities all over the world, daily.
In present times, homeowners and builders are discovering that traditional building materials aren’t meeting those codes as well as wood is doing.
Wood has a versatile nature, so it means that is can be moulded and constructed to match any form of energy efficiency requirement no matter the climate.
Our Log cabins for garden are fast proving to be a preferred residence.
For more information about our bespoke log cabins and what we can offer you, please visit our Garden Log Cabins website.