- Planning authority
- Somerset Council
- Postcodes
- TA1, TA2
- Noon sun, 21 March
- About 39°
- Shadow from a 5 m eaves line
- About 6.2 m
- Planning plan
- Local Plan
- County
- Somerset
How it plays out in Taunton
Access usually decides what a Taunton garden can take. An annexe can often share your drive because it is used with the house, but a separate home needs an access Somerset Council will accept for a dwelling in its own right, with room for cars, bin collection and emergency vehicles. We cover homes in Taunton and around Bridgwater, Burnham-on-Sea and Yeovil, and on every plot we measure the drive width, the view along the road where the access joins it, and how far bins would need to travel, before anyone draws a plan.
The next steps, locally
The next step is a conversation, by phone or through the form, about your garden in Taunton and who the new home is for. We check access, title, the main planning constraints and any CIL position for your address, then tell you whether an annexe, a separate home or neither looks realistic. If neither does, we’ll say so and explain why.
Free plot appraisal
We look at your plot, access and the planning picture from the desk, talk through who will live in the new home, and visit if it looks viable. There’s no cost and no obligation.
Survey and design
A measured survey, then a design built around the person moving in: step-free routes, a ground-floor bedroom if needed and privacy for both households. You get a written quote after design and survey.
Planning and approvals
We prepare and submit the planning application and manage it with the council, which makes the decision. Before work starts, approval under the Building Regulations is in place and any CIL exemption has been claimed.
Build and handover
We build while you carry on living next door, with access, deliveries and working hours agreed up front. At handover you get the completion certificate and the paperwork you’ll need for council tax, lenders and any VAT claim.
Worth checking early
- Planning is the council’s decision, and an annexe is not a way round the rules that apply to a new house.
- VAT savings available on a separate dwelling often don’t apply to an annexe; take advice from a tax adviser before choosing.
- CIL exemptions are lost if work starts before the claim is made, and can be withdrawn if the home is sold or let within three years.
Your questions, answered for Taunton
Can you design a home in Taunton for a relative who uses a wheelchair?
Yes. The design can include a level approach and threshold, turning space in each room, a wet room, wider doors and worktops at a usable height. Where Somerset Council requires a particular access standard through planning, the design meets it; otherwise it’s your choice how far to go. Input from your relative’s occupational therapist is well worth having.
Can I reclaim VAT on a family annexe in Taunton?
Often not. HMRC’s guidance gives an annexe that can’t be used or sold separately from the main house as an example of work that can’t be zero-rated, and the DIY housebuilders refund scheme asks the same question. A separate dwelling is usually treated differently. Take advice from a tax adviser before you settle the planning route, because the wording of the permission matters.
Do I need planning permission for a granny annexe in Taunton?
Yes, almost always for a detached annexe with its own kitchen, bathroom and bedroom. Somerset Council will treat it as accommodation linked to your home and will usually add a condition so it can’t be let or sold separately. A garden building used only as a home office or gym is a different matter, but sleeping and cooking take it beyond those allowances.
How long will building work disrupt my home in Taunton?
A single garden home usually takes several months on site, with the noisiest work, such as groundworks, drainage and heavy deliveries, concentrated near the start. We agree working hours, access and parking with you up front, and with the people next door where it affects them, so your household knows what each week will look like.
Other options in Taunton
- Planning permission for a garden plot
- Plot feasibility and design
- Planning promotion for your garden plot
- Sell part of your garden
- Corner and side plots
- Large rear gardens