A garden office is an office in a garden outbuilding. This is usually separate to a house, being used as a dedicated office space by a remote worker or by a home-based business.
In the UK, planning permission is not normally needed for a garden office if you are only using it as a home study and if it is similar in size and construction to a garden shed. A garden office used as a home study does not need planning permission as long as it is not more than 4 metres tall for a pitched roof, at least 2 metres from the property line and does not cover more than half of the garden area. If you are running a business from your garden office it will need planning permission regardless of its size or position within the garden. This is because working at home, in the garden, can cause a problem for neighbours. The cost will depend upon the facilities and can be between ã5,000 and ã60,000. Internet and telephone connections may be required and this can perhaps be achieved by use of a wireless network based in the main building.
Garden offices boomed in popularity during COVID-19 lockdowns and working-from-home. They have been related to outbuildings such as sheds.