What Does Ancillary Accommodation Mean?

As your loved ones get older, they may find it harder to manage in their home. Things they once found easy might be becoming more of a difficult task, like climbing the stair or using the shower. You may find they are starting to rely on you more and when this happens, it might be time to look into care options for the elderly.

If you have been looking into care and care home alternatives for a loved one then you may have seen the term ancillary accommodation crop up a few times, but what does ancillary accommodation mean?

What is Ancillary Accommodation?

Ancillary accommodation or an ancillary dwelling is a term used to describe a small self-contained home that is on the same property or land as another house.

Typically ancillary accommodation, or a granny annexe as it is often called, is designed to help older people who cannot manage in a house on their own anymore.

A granny annexe is usually an external building that is built in the garden of the existing house. Occasionally ancillary accommodation can refer to an extension built on the side of a house.

Regardless of what type of ancillary accommodation you are wanting build, you will need planning permission for it.

Why Do I Need Planning Permission?

Whilst you may be able to get away without getting planning permission for a small shed or gazebo, a granny annexe is much bigger than that. Family Annexe granny annexes are designed to be a home for your loved one and as a result, have all the same rules and regulations any living space would.

All of our granny annexes are fitted out with the highest quality modern kitchens and bathrooms. This means we need to be able to supply fresh water to the annexe via underground piping. The same goes for electricity and other requirements you may want, such as internet access.

We need to make sure we can provide your granny annexe with the water and electricity it needs in a way that is safe and secure for you and your neighbours.

If you live in a built-up area your granny annexe may obstruct your neighbour’s views or block someone’s light. This needs to be addressed during the planning stage so we can find the granny annexe that’s right for you and your space.

Can Family Annexe Help Me Get Planning Permission?

Here at Family Annexe, we understand that building a granny annexe for your loved one is a big change and you need to be with your family. That’s we are dedicated to making building a granny annexe as easy and stress-free as possible.

Designing and planning a granny annexe is easy. It starts with a simple friendly phone call. There are no obligations or fees. We discuss what you need and get back to you with a quote and some drawings of what you can expect with your granny annexe.

We will come and perform a site survey on the property for you where we can double-check any measurements and check if there are no glaring issues before we move on to the next step. After the site has been approved and the design and build spec have been finalised we can move on the making your annexe come to life.

Getting planning permission is the most daunting part of building your annexe, that’s why we take the stress away by doing it for you. We obtain the planning permission from your local planning authority using a Householder Application and the ‘Caravan Act’.

We work with some of the best professionals in independent planning to make sure you get the best possible outcome. It can take up to 13 weeks to get planning permission.

Once we get the planning permission we can begin to build your granny annexe. We build the annexe on our site and then transport it to you, so you don’t have to live with builders and construction creating unnecessary noise in your garden.

Once the granny annexe has arrived we can install it quickly and efficiently. A member of our team will give you a quick tour and answer any questions before handing you the keys to your new granny annexe.

After that, it’s time for you and your loved ones to embark on this new chapter of your lives together as a family.

Get In Touch

If you would like to find out more about granny annexes, get in touch with Family Annexe. We have six unique annexe models available, each providing a safe and cost-effective solution to elderly care.

Family Annexe has an efficient seven-step process, designed to make your annexe experience stress-free and enjoyable. This starts with a free, no-obligation consultation!