General Planning Permission for Swimming Pools

Outdoor home swimming pools may come under the category of outbuildings for the purpose of luxury for the home. Because of this you may need to consider whether or not you will need planning permission for your outdoor swimming pool before you purchase the swimming pool of your dreams. There are a few guidelines to adhere to when building your swimming pool and the following are instances in which you would definitely need to apply for planning permission for your outdoor swimming pool.

1. The pool will be nearer to any highway than to the original house it belongs to unless there is at least 20 meters between the highway and the pool. The highway is a term used for any public route including public roads, footpaths, bridleways and byways.
2. More than 50% of the land owned by the original home will be covered up by outbuildings and/or extensions.
3. The outbuilding in question is to be used for any commercial purpose including parking a commercial vehicle (Mostly this would not be applicable for a home swimming pool which is an addition used for personal luxury purposes).
4. The Swimming pool outbuilding or protective structure is more than 3 meters high above the ground (4 meters for ridged roofing).
5. Your home is a listed building and the swimming pool or outbuilding size will exceed 10 cubic meters.

These planning permission guidelines can vary depending on your area so if in doubt you should always ask your local governing authority beforehand. It is unfortunate that British weather is not always sunshine and blue skies and as a result of this many of you will be considering an outbuilding or other form of swimming pool shelter in order to enjoy your pool in both privacy and comfort. Even with a heated swimming pool, it cannot protect you from the wind and therefore many people choose outdoor home swimming pools that have glass roofing or other protective structures. As such these swimming pool designs are much more likely to require planning permission so you should always check with your local council before you sign on the dotted line. You should expect a waiting period of approximately two months to get everything sorted out before you can begin work on your new swimming pool installation.

Naturally, even though your swimming pool is not in an outbuilding as such, if it utilizes a permanent shelter structure it will most likely be considered as an outbuilding and be subject to the various regulations as listed above including the height restrictions of three meters. If you are unsure about your swimming pool measurements check before hand with the manufacturer what size and height your swimming pool will be and carefully plan the location of your swimming pool. It is important to ensure that your swimming pool complies to the above location and requirements restrictions before you go ahead and buy it as you could be in for a nasty surprise when it’s all set up.