Are you planning on building a garage in Hampshire? You may need to apply for planning permission and choose a design that blends with the area around your home if you live in a designated area.
Hampshire is a diverse region characterised by a mix of rolling countryside, coastal areas, and affluent towns. The region is home to the South Downs National Park, the New Forest National Park, and Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONBs), like Chichester Harbour. The northwestern part of the region is also a Green Belt. Moreover, many towns and villages have large conservation areas. Here, tight planning restrictions apply.
In modern urban centres, like Southampton, Portsmouth, and Fanborough, regulations are more relaxed and in some cases, permitted development rights apply.
In this article, we discuss the planning restrictions in different areas of Hampshire and help you choose the right type of garage design for urban and countryside areas.
The planning requirements in Hampshire change depending on location.
If you live by a modern urban centre, like Basingstoke or Andover, outside of a designated area, you likely do not need to apply for planning permission. Check if this applies to your property on the Hampshire City Council website.
If building a garage by your home falls under permitted development rights, you can usually build a garage if it’s a detached, single-storey outbuilding that doesn’t take up more than 50% of the land around your original house.
If you live in a designated area - like the South Downs National Park - or a conservation area in a town like Winchester, you must apply for planning permission from your Local Planning Authority. You must also apply for listed building consent if your home is a Listed Building. In this case, your garage has to integrate well with the surrounding landscape. So your plan will be more likely to be accepted if it complements the area around your home.
Because the rules depend on height, placement, boundaries, and existing buildings, it’s always worth speaking to your local authority to confirm what applies to your property.
Here is our advice for designing a garage that fits well in a Hampshire context - whether you live in a conservation area or near a modern urban centre.
While planning restrictions are in place in your area, if you submit a plan for a traditional-looking garage that matches the area around it, you are more likely to obtain planning permission.
Hampshire is known for its historic manor houses, red brick cottages, brick and flint farmhouses, Mediaeval buildings, Georgian townhouses, historic naval buildings, and rare thatched-roof houses.
The typical historic architecture of the region features:
These features vary in different areas. For example, timber-framed buildings are often found in conservation areas while thatched-roof houses are seen in rural villages. So, when choosing a design for your Hampshire garage, mirror the architecture around your home.
Timber buildings look timeless, no matter the setting. So wherever in Hampshire you are based, building your garage in timber will likely be a great solution. Moreover, wood is sustainable, robust and durable. Wooden outbuildings are also cheaper and faster to erect.
Moreover, when wood ages it turns silver; this will make your garage look timeless.
Opt for an oak-framed garage or a carriage house for the structure.
If you live in the countryside, in areas with extensive farmland, choose a detached oak-framed garage. You can mirror the traditional barns, cottages, and farmhouses typical of the Hampshire countryside by covering the wall with weatherboard cladding.
A carriage house, also called a car barn or barn-style garage, is a timber-framed garage with one or more open bays. If you wish, you can add an enclosed bay. This is the original garage, as it was designed in the 18th century. The open bay was used to store horse-drawn carriages and carts; the enclosed bay served as a room for the driver. A carriage house fits well in conservation areas where historic architecture is prevalent, especially those featuring porticos. Opt for weatherboard cladding to add extra charm.
The garage roof should complement the structures around your home.
Do the buildings near your home feature steep-hipped roofs? Choose a steeper pitch angle (even going up to 25° can make a difference) and match the tile colour as closely as possible with shaded red, brown, or black Onduvilla, clay, and slate tiles.
Is your area characterised by moderately pitched roofs? Focus on mirroring the covering. Choose shaded red, brown or black Onduvilla tiles or clay and slate tiles.
If you live near a building with a thatched or catslide roof, opt for a carriage house, which features extended eaves (the parts of a roof that extend past the building's walls). You can complement the covering with natural-looking cedar shingles, shaded red or shaded brown Onduvilla tiles, or clay and slate tiles.
Add framed windows to your design to let some natural light into your garage and increase ventilation. UPVC windows match the sash windows often found in historic structures.
If you live outside a designated area, you probably do not need to apply for planning permission.
A wooden garage fits any setting - modern, rural or historic. Choose to build in timber to save money and time and reduce your carbon footprint.
You can build a detached, enclosed wooden garage if your property size allows. This type of building comes with doors to keep your vehicle safe. And you can convert part of it into a storage or workshop. Choose shiplap cladding for a clean town look.
If you need to maximise space, opt for a wooden carport. This car storage solution has a smaller footprint and a minimalist design. However, it shelters vehicles from the elements efficiently. Timber carports with curved bracing can look as elegant as carriage houses.
Pick a matching pitch and covering material to help the outbuilding complement your home.
Popular roof covering options include:
Natural light and airflow are essential to keeping your timber building dry and moisture-free. Choose between single, double, and triple timber-framed or UPVC windows.
At Chart Garages, we build custom traditional and contemporary wooden garages that belong in rural, historic, and town settings.
We manufacture timber garages, carriage houses, and carports from our workshop in Kent. Our walled wooden garages come in three ranges: the Clipper, Chart, and Chester. Our carriage houses are available in the Chart and Chester ranges. Our carports come in the Chester range as standard.
If you need a high-pitched roof to complement a historic home, the Chester range can support a steeper-pitched roof (up to 35°). The other ranges have either a 17° or 22.5° roof pitch.
Our timber garages are built to order, so you can customise them to suit any size, shape, and configuration. Choose the number of enclosed and open bays and add windows, internal partitions, personal doors, insulation, or an external log store. Our buildings can be built to receive electric roller shutter doors, too.
If you own an electric vehicle, we can add a dedicated space for the charging point to your design.
For the roof covering, choose between:
Our UPVC-framed windows mirror the look of historic windows. Our streamlined timber windows, which complement a contemporary home, are available with single- or double-glazing.
Finally, we offer shiplap and weatherboard cladding.
