Rother District Council’s adopted Development and Site Allocations Local Plan, Policy DHG10, treats an annexe as accommodation within the host dwelling’s curtilage for semi-independent use. The policy describes the arrangement as ancillary to the main dwelling, not as a separate home that can automatically be occupied or sold on its own. This is a Rother planning-policy example in East Sussex, not an England-wide rule.
How the Council describes a suitable annexe
Policy DHG10 prefers an extension to the main dwelling, then conversion of a nearby existing outbuilding, and then a new nearby building with a demonstrable relationship to the home. The accommodation should be proportionate to its purpose and normally have one bedroom. The policy also expects it to be capable of longer-term integration into the principal dwelling. These are the Council’s planning criteria; the one-bedroom description is not a universal legal maximum.
The policy says occupation should be controlled by a planning condition or, exceptionally, a legal agreement. The stated purpose is to keep the annexe tied to the main dwelling and prevent use as a separate dwelling or separate sale. The actual permission and any condition or agreement determine what applies to a particular proposal or existing building.
Check the decision and current plan
Before letting, changing the occupiers, or planning a transfer, identify the property’s planning authority and review the adopted plan, the original application, approved drawings, and decision notice. Ask Rother whether a later plan or decision changes the policy’s application. A planning restriction does not by itself establish what appears on the title, whether a separate legal interest exists, or what a lender or private covenant permits.
For a specific property, verify the planning history, any condition or legal agreement, title documents, building and occupancy approvals, and the proposed use with the relevant authority and qualified professionals. This guide explains the local policy example; it does not decide whether a particular annexe qualifies or may be occupied independently.