planning permission for bike shed (Southwark)?

[JRJ]

Hi,

We would like to put a bike shed on our drive (Nunhead, Southwark council), and would welcome any advice / tips from anyone who has done the same. We think we need planning permission, but the council haven't been super helpful in advising. Someone suggested that unless it's fixed to the floor then you don't need planning? Someone else mentioned that Southwark like you to use a certain manufacturer?

The previous owner of our house actually got planning permission for bike storage, but then put all the meters etc in a little cupboard thing instead, so we can't just put our shed in the same place. I have the fear that if started a new application they might find out about the previous breach and make us rectify it or something at great expense.

Thanks in advance

J

[Aristide]

This is how the legislation stands, may or may not be helpful. I think you'll find most people who put bike stores like bin stores, do so without permission and Southwark do very little about it. Local Authorities are generally so underfunded that they target their enforcement teams on much larger infringements:

http://www.cyclistsdefencefund.org.uk/cycle-storage-advice

[JRJ]

Thanks, that's really helpful.

I do know some people (not round here) who have been made to get rid of their bike stores, but I hope we might be ok if we get an unobtrusive one.

[worldwiser]

If you want to be legal I'm afraid the rules under permitted development state that anything constructed forward of your front elevation must have planning permission.

Class E is what you want to look at.

https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/516238/160413_Householder_Technical_Guidance.pdf

Frankly whoever decided on the appearance of Southwark's mandatory wheeliebins has done more harm to the streetscape than any developer. I would go ahead and sod the council. There is almost nothing you could do that would look worse than what they've already imposed on us all.