Where Will You Park If You Convert Your Garage?
Converting a garage changes more than a room. It changes where the car goes, and that’s worth settling before any work starts. For many homes the answer is simple, because the driveway in front of the garage becomes the parking space. For others it means creating new parking, checking planning conditions or applying for a dropped kerb. Here’s what to look at, in the order that matters.
First Check: Is The Garage Allowed To Go?
Some properties, particularly on newer estates, have planning conditions requiring the garage, or a parking space, to be kept. Others have had permitted development rights removed, and councils may also expect a certain amount of off street parking. If a condition applies, converting could need permission or a variation of the condition. You can find out from the property’s planning history on your council’s website, and our guide on planning permission for a garage conversion explains what to check.
How Much Parking Do You Already Have?
Look at the driveway honestly. If it holds your car or cars comfortably, nothing needs to change. If the garage is where the second car lives, or the driveway is short, narrow or shared, you’ll need to think about alternatives. Measure the space against your vehicles, rather than judging by eye.
Creating More Parking At The Front
If the driveway isn’t enough, it’s often possible to create more space in the front garden, subject to the rules.
Paving the front garden
In England, you don’t need planning permission to pave a front garden if the surface is permeable, such as gravel, permeable block paving or porous asphalt, or if the rainwater drains to a lawn or border within the property. If you cover more than five square metres with an impermeable surface that doesn’t drain to a permeable area, planning permission is needed. These rules only cover front gardens, and listed buildings, conservation areas and properties with restrictions can differ.
Dropped kerbs
If you need to cross a pavement or verge to reach your parking, you need a dropped kerb, and driving over a pavement without one isn’t allowed. You apply to your local highway authority, and if the road is classified, such as an A, B or C road, planning permission may be needed as well. Fees and processes vary between councils, so check before you commit to a design.
What Counts As A Parking Space?
There’s no single standard, because councils set their own parking requirements, and the size of a space they expect can differ. If your property is subject to a parking condition, it’s worth checking exactly what’s required, including whether a space needs to be a certain size, rather than assuming your driveway qualifies.
On Street Parking
If you plan to rely on the road, check how easy it is to park where you live, whether there are permit zones or restrictions, and how neighbours might be affected. It’s a practical consideration as much as a regulatory one, and it’s much better to think about before you convert than after.
What If The Front Garden Is Too Small?
Some properties simply don’t have room to add parking at the front. In that case, the options are to keep the garage for the car, convert only part of it, or accept that the car will live on the street. A partial conversion that keeps the front section as a working garage is often a good compromise, and our guide on converting half a garage and keeping storage explains how it works.
A Quick Checklist Before You Decide
Before converting, work through a few questions. Does a planning condition or restriction apply to your garage? How many vehicles do you need to park, including visitors? Does the driveway fit them, measured properly? If you need more space, is the front garden large enough, and is there already a dropped kerb? Will the road cope with extra on street parking? Answering these early prevents expensive surprises later.
Designing The Front Of The House
If the front garden is being used for parking, it also affects how your home looks. Keeping some planting, thinking about where bins and bikes go, and making sure the conversion looks right from the street all help. Our guides on making a converted garage look like part of the house and where everything in your garage will go cover those details.
If You Charge An Electric Car In The Garage
If an electric vehicle charger is fitted inside the garage, you’ll need to plan where it moves to, and how the supply is routed, before the room is converted. It’s a small point, but it’s easy to overlook.
Does Losing The Garage Matter For Resale?
It depends on the area and the buyer. Some value a garage or good off street parking, others prefer extra living space. Our guide on whether a garage conversion is worth it looks at that balance honestly, including when keeping the garage makes more sense.
Planning The Conversion And The Parking Together
If you need new parking, it’s sensible to plan it alongside the conversion, so the driveway, the front wall and the new room work together. We also carry out driveways and landscaping, which means the two can be designed as one project.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need planning permission to turn my front garden into parking?
Not if the surface is permeable or drains to a permeable area within the property. More than five square metres of impermeable surfacing that doesn’t drain that way needs planning permission.
Do I need a dropped kerb?
Yes, if you need to drive over a pavement or verge. You apply to your local highway authority, and planning permission may also be needed on a classified road.
Can I convert my garage if I have no driveway?
Possibly, but it depends on planning conditions, local parking requirements and where you’ll park instead, so check with your council first.
Do I have to keep a parking space?
Only if a planning condition or local requirement says so. Some properties have conditions requiring parking or the garage to be retained.
Will converting my garage affect on street parking?
It can, if you’ll rely on the road more. Check local restrictions and how easy parking is in your street.
Can I keep the garage door and still park outside?
Yes. Some homeowners keep the door for its appearance, with an insulated wall behind it, and park on the driveway as before.
Why Choose Convert Your Garage
Convert Your Garage is a family run company, founded by Jim Allsop in 2002, and we’ve completed over 4,400 garage conversions across Greater Manchester and the North West. We also carry out driveways and landscaping, so we can help you plan parking and the conversion together. Surveys and quotations are free and no obligation, and every conversion comes with a 10 year warranty.
How To Contact Convert Your Garage
Convert Your Garage
Established in 2002
4,400+ completed garage conversions
30+ industry awards
10 Year Warranty
If you’d like to talk through your project, we’re always happy to help, whether you’re ready to book a free survey or still at the research stage.
Telephone: 0161 766 6518
Website: https://www.convertyourgarage.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/convertyourgarage/?locale=en_GB
