When it comes to building a garage in Surrey, you need to carefully check what planning regulations apply to your property and select a suitable design.
The region is shaped by a mix of rural countryside and affluent towns. Much of Surrey lies within the Metropolitan Green Belt and the Surrey Hills Area Of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB). Here, strict planning restrictions are in place to protect the picturesque landscape.
In some areas of urban towns like Weybridge, Cobham, and Oxshott, permitted development rights apply. However, many historic towns and villages, such as Guildford, Farnham, and Godalming, have large conservation areas. Waverley alone encompasses 43.
In this article, we look at the planning restrictions in different areas of Surrey and what type of garage designs fit urban and rural areas.
Planning regulations in Surrey vary based on where you live.
If your home is in or close to a big town like Weybridge, Woking, or Cobham, chances are your property does not lie within a designated area. If that is the case, if you follow specific rules, you can build a garage without applying for planning permission.
The main rules include building a detached, single-storey structure with a footprint that doesn’t exceed 50% of the area around your house. Check if you can build a garage without applying for planning permission and read all the rules that apply under permitted development on the Surrey County Council website.
If you live in a designated area - like the Surrey Hills AONB - or a conservation area within a town like Guildford, you must apply for planning permission from your Local Planning Authority (LPA). If your home is a Listed Building, you will also need to apply for listed building consent.
Additional planning restrictions are in place because you live in a sensitive setting that needs to be preserved for future generations. The LPA must see your garage's plans to ensure it will integrate well with the surrounding landscape. Check the Surrey County Council website to verify what rules apply to your property.
Below, we share your top tips for building a garage that perfectly blends with its Surrey setting - whether you live in a designated area or near a big urban centre.
The areas in and around historic towns and villages in Surrey feature tile-hung cottages, Medieval churches, Tudor and Elizabethan manor houses, Georgian townhouses, and castles in impeccable condition.
While there are limitations to the type of garage you can build in such designated areas, you can increase your chances of success with a well-thought-out planning application. Submit a plan for a traditional-looking garage that mirrors the area around your home.
The typical historic architecture of the region features:
Because the building tradition spans different styles and materials in Surrey, you will need to observe the area around your home to identify which of these features is prevalent.
Wood looks timeless, so whether you live near a timber-framed pub or a red-brick Georgian home, a wooden garage will look fitting. Opt for thick and sustainable timber.
Over time, the wood will turn silver, giving that perfect timeless look to your garage.
Choose between an oak-framed garage and a carriage house for the structure.
A detached oak-framed garage with enclosed bays would fit particularly well in the countryside, especially in areas encompassing agricultural land. You can finish the traditional look of a wooden garage with weatherboard cladding, which is often found in rural barns, cottages, and farmhouses in Surrey.
A carriage house, also called a car barn or barn-style garage, is a timber-framed garage with one or more open bays and an optional enclosed bay. This design, dating back to the 18th century, is even more traditional than a walled garage. The open bay served as storage for horse-drawn carriages and carts while the driver slept in the enclosed bay. This structure would blend seamlessly with conservation area settings and fit in nicely with buildings featuring porticos.
The roof should mirror the structures around your home.
If nearby historic buildings feature steep-hipped roofs, opt for a steeper angle (even going up to 25° can make a difference) and match the colour of the tiles as best as you can with either shaded red or shaded brown Onduvilla tiles or clay and slate tiles.
The angle is not as crucial as matching the covering material if the buildings nearby feature gabled roofs. Opt for cedar shingles, shaded red Onduvilla tiles, or clay tiles.
If your street features a rare thatched roof, choose a similar-pitch option to the traditional building and cover your roof with natural-looking cedar shingles.
If you want to let some natural light into your garage, add UPVC windows to your plan. These resemble the leaded and sash windows you see in traditional buildings.
If your home isn’t within a designated area, you will likely not need to apply for planning permission and can choose the garage design that best suits your needs.
Even though you live in an urban area, a timber garage is the most cost-effective, flexible, and fast option. It also looks at home in any setting and is sustainable.
If you have plenty of room on your property, choose a detached, enclosed wooden garage. You can dedicate part of the building to storage or a hobby room. Opt for shiplap cladding for a clean town look.
If you have space restraints, opt for a wooden carport. This has a minimalistic design that takes up less space while efficiently sheltering your vehicle from the elements. Timber carports with curved bracing can look as elegant as carriage houses.
When it comes to the roof, choose the pitch and covering that mirrors your home’s best.
Popular options include:
To allow natural light into your garage, add some openings. Choose between single, double, and triple timber framed or UPVC windows.
At Chart Garages, we build custom traditional and contemporary timber garages that look at home in rural, historic, and town settings.
We offer timber garages, carriage houses, and carports. Our walled wooden garages come in three options: the Clipper, Chart, and Chester ranges. Our carriage houses are available in the Chart and Chester ranges. While our carports come in the Chester range as standard.
The Chester range can be supported by an oak frame and installed with a steeper pitched roof (up to 35°) to complement a historic home. All other buildings have either a 17° or 22.5° roof pitch.
If you like the look of a carriage house but prefer to store your vehicle securely, you can add doors to all bays.
Our timber outbuildings are built to order, so you can tailor them to suit any size and configuration. Change the number of enclosed and open bays and add windows, personal doors, insulation, internal partitions, or an external log store.
For the roof covering, choose between:
Our UPVC framed windows mirror the shape of traditional windows. While our sleek timber windows, which complement a modern home, come with single or double glazing.
Finally, we offer shiplap and weatherboard cladding.
