Most of East Dulwich, Peckham and Camberwell is Victorian terraces, and they come with
the same four constraints every time: narrow access, a long thin garden, boundaries close on both
sides, and neighbours who will notice. None of them stop you building. All of them change
the design.
Access is the first question
If there is no side return, every barrow of spoil and every sheet of material goes through the
house. That is workable, we do it regularly, but it changes the method and the programme. It also
pushes the base decision towards ground screws, because there is far less spoil to remove than with
a full concrete slab.
Where there is a side return, its width decides what can physically be carried down it.
Boundaries decide the height
A typical terrace garden is five to seven metres wide. Put a building of any useful size in it
and part of it will sit within two metres of a boundary, which caps the whole building at
2.5 metres under permitted development.
That is not a problem, but it has to be designed in. A mono-pitch or flat roof within 2.5 metres
gives better usable internal height than trying to squeeze a pitched roof under the same limit.
Long gardens change where the building goes
A long thin garden lets you put the building at the far end, which keeps the view from the house
open and leaves usable garden in between. It also means a longer cable run for power, and a longer
carry for materials. Worth deciding deliberately rather than by default.
Party walls and neighbours
Building close to a boundary can engage the Party Wall etc. Act 1996, particularly where
excavation is near a neighbour’s structure. Even where it does not legally apply, telling your
neighbours what is happening before the diggers arrive is worth more than it costs.
Conservation areas
Large parts of Dulwich, Herne Hill and Camberwell sit in conservation areas, where you cannot
build to the side of the house under permitted development and larger buildings far from the house
lose their rights. We cover this in garden room planning permission in Southwark.
Most of the builds on our project map of every build are behind terraces exactly like this.
Frequently asked questions
Can you build a garden room without side access?
Yes. Materials and spoil go through the house, which changes the method and adds time, and it often makes ground screws a better base choice than a concrete slab because there is far less spoil to remove.
How tall can a garden room be in a narrow terrace garden?
If any part of it sits within two metres of a boundary, and in a typical terrace garden it will, the maximum height is 2.5 metres under permitted development.
Do I need a party wall agreement for a garden room?
Possibly, if you are excavating close to a neighbouring structure. It depends on the distance and depth, so it is worth checking before work starts.
Do I need to tell my neighbours about a garden room?
There is no legal requirement if the build is permitted development, but it is worth doing. Access, noise and deliveries all affect them.
Thinking about a garden building?
We design and build bespoke garden rooms and studios, purpose built garden offices, garden art and music studios, garden yoga and exercise studios and bespoke garden sheds and storage across East Dulwich, Dulwich, Peckham and the surrounding South London areas. See our garden building project gallery or the project map of every build, then book a free site visit and we will give you an honest estimate with no obligation.