Hair dressing salon in garden
“Can’t We Just Build It Under Permitted Development?”
That was the first question my client asked when she told me she wanted to open a commercial hairdressing salon in her back garden.
And I completely understood why.
On paper, it looked straightforward. The proposed building fell within the size and height limits for permitted development. No planning application required. Faster. Simpler. Less paperwork.
But I paused.
Because this wasn’t really about the building.
It was about what would happen inside it.
The Dream
My client had built up a loyal following over the years. She wanted a professional, beautifully designed salon space — separate from her house, but still within her private garden.
The vision was clear:
A calm, purpose-built salon
Regular client appointments
Professional branding
A legitimate, long-term business
And that’s exactly why I advised caution.
The Conversation That Matters
I explained something that often surprises homeowners:
Permitted development rights deal with the structure.
They don’t automatically approve commercial use.
An outbuilding used as a home gym? Fine.
A hobby room? Fine.
But a salon with daily client visits, vehicles arriving and leaving, set opening hours and business activity? That can be seen as a material change of use.
And that’s where enforcement risk creeps in.
All it takes is one neighbour raising a concern about parking or traffic. The local authority investigates. Suddenly, the question isn’t whether the building complies with size limits — it’s whether the use needed planning permission.
If they determine it did, the client could face:
An enforcement notice
Pressure to cease trading
A retrospective application (with no guarantee of success)
Stress and uncertainty for both her and her clients
That’s not the foundation you want for a new business.
Designing With Confidence, Not Crossing Fingers
So I asked her a simple question:
“Do you want to open this salon hoping no one complains… or knowing you’re covered?”
That reframed everything.
We chose to submit a full planning application for the commercial use from the outset.
Yes, it meant drawings, reports, and patience.
But it also meant we could control the narrative.
We addressed:
Expected client numbers
Parking arrangements
Opening hours
The visual impact of the building
Instead of hiding the use, we demonstrated that it was modest, well-managed and low impact.
Planning officers aren’t anti-small-business. They assess impact. And in this case, the impact was entirely reasonable.
The Outcome
By securing planning permission properly, my client can build the salon and then operate:
Without fear of enforcement
Without worrying about complaints
Without risking her investment
Her salon isn’t just beautifully designed — it’s lawful, defensible and future-proof.
And that peace of mind is priceless.
The Bigger Lesson
As architects, our job isn’t just to make buildings look good.
It’s to protect our clients.
Permitted development is a fantastic tool — when used appropriately. But it isn’t a shortcut around commercial planning considerations.
If a project introduces regular client footfall, business activity and measurable impact, it deserves proper assessment.
Sometimes the “quickest” route carries the biggest risk.
In this case, doing it properly from day one meant my client could focus on what she does best — running a successful salon — rather than worrying about a knock on the door from enforcement.
And that’s always the better design decision.
