Working from Home
Planning Guidance Note
Introduction
Some businesses can easily and suitably be operated from a house, particularly ones in
which a single or small number of rooms are used mainly as a phone or postal point, do not
involve visiting members of the public (or visiting staff) and generate no noise or disturbance
to neighbours. Others, however, can have a detrimental impact on the amenity of residential
areas by excessive parking, storage of materials or requirement for access during anti-social
hours and noise.
Format of Guidance
All planning guidance notes are material considerations in the assessment of planning
applications and shall be afforded significant weight in the decision making process. Failure
to comply with Guidance Notes may be a reason for refusal of planning consent.
Planning Framework
Local Plan policies and associated guidance notes place emphasis on high quality places
and the protection of neighbouring residential amenity. East Dunbartonshire Local Plan 2,
Policy DQ1 – Assessing Proposed Uses states that “developments should enhance and
certainly not reduce the amenity and character of the surrounding area”.
Policy Guidance
The main consideration is what effect the use will have on neighbours and the amenity of the
area in general. A balance requires to be struck between: a) what individuals can do within
their own property and the need to encourage the creation of local business; and, b) controls
on activities which adversely affect the amenity of neighbours. People living in quiet
residential areas rightly expect their amenity to be protected from unacceptable neighbouring
uses.
When it is proposed to operate a business from a house, planning permission may be
required. In general terms the use of one room of a house for a business which generates no
clients, traffic or noise will not require planning permission as there will be no material effect
on the use of the house or on the residential environment of the area. Use of more than one
room generally will require planning permission as will any use affecting the amenity of the
surrounding properties. Activities will generally not be allowed which generate noise, on-
street parking, high levels of traffic, where large goods vehicles will be based at the site or
where the amenity of the area will be adversely affected.
The information required to assess whether planning permission will be required, and if so,
whether it is likely to be acceptable, includes the following;
1. What type of business is it?
2. What type of property is it? (e.g. detached, semi-detached, terraced or flatted)
3. How many rooms has the house and how many of these will be used for the
business?
4. How many staff will work at the house and how many of these do not live at the
house?
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