Working from home

You do not necessarily need planning permission to work from home. The key test is whether the overall character of the home will change as a result of a business being conducted from the property.  If the answer to any of the following questions is yes, then permission will probably be needed.

• Will your home no longer be used mainly as a private home?
• Will your business result in a marked rise in traffic or people calling?
• Will your business involve any activities unusual in a residential area?
• Will your business disturb your neighbours at unreasonable hours or create other forms of nuisance such as noise or smells?

Whatever business you carry out from your home - whether it involves using part of it as a bedsit or for bed-and-breakfast accommodation, using a room as your personal office, providing a childminding service, using rooms for dressmaking or music teaching, using buildings in the garden for repairing cars or storing goods connected with a business – the key test is: is it still mainly a home or has it become a business premises?