ANYONE who has run out of space at home for somewhere to work can now banish themselves to the garden ... and study in luxury.
Huddersfield man Ben Lord, 34, has revamped the idea of prefabricated buildings by creating a selection of stylish, eco-friendly ‘pods’ to help people extend their homes.
And in most cases they don’t even need planning permission.
The Huddersfield architecture graduate has come up with a tasteful way for homeowners to create more living space with the launch of his new business – Pod Space.
The timber-framed pods – priced between £17,000 and £26,000 – are built in Cleckheaton and come ready-assembled to include heating, electricity and even plumbing.
Ben, of Scammonden, came up with the idea after watching his friend build prefabricated buildings.
He said: “It is something I have been interested in for a while, doing eco-friendly pre-fabricated buildings that can be constructed in a factory for a better finish. They are constructed like Scandinavian houses with a timber frame and cedar wood cladding.
“They also come with the option of a grassed roof to help fit in with the outdoor space.
“In today’s climate, more and more people are working from home and I felt there had to be a better alternative to the shed type buildings on the market.
“I also thought it could offer an alternative to costly extensions, delivering a high quality pod fully assembled on time and on budget at a fraction of the price.
“There are so many different uses for them.”
The pods come in three different sizes and finclude damp-proofing and double glazing.
They are also heavily insulated, making them energy efficient and are designed to offer a contemporary-look to people’s homes.
Ben added: “Generally you don’t need planning permission for them under permitted development.
“As long as it doesn’t take-up more than 50% of your garden it should not be an issue unless it is a listed building or in a conservation area.
“They are eco-friendly too because they are made from sustainable wood from well-managed sources and are very energy efficient.
“We have only sold two so far but if we can sell one a month in our first year, we’ll be doing well.”
The pods feature natural rubber flooring and white beech veneered internal walls.
Visit www.pod-space.co.uk.
