Also, you may be liable to the local "planning" taxes applicable, such as TLE or TA. Even on a small outbuilding or shed, these can be fairly high.

See info here

Funnily enough I have just spoken to our Notaire who is always a great point of contact. She said that if we build 2 pergolas under 5 m2 there is no come back and no need for the whole DP. We initially weren't sure about this. I do have a doubt about the fact there will not be a join but may look like a long pergola?? We were planning on maybe putting shrubs etc between the two? May work. These councils etc aren't the most helpful with info considering long term they sting everyone in taxes for trying to improve your home!

I'm afraid your notaire is wrong. For a pergola of less than 20m2 you still need to do a déclaration préalable. Above 20m2 you will need a permis (although this is increased to 40m2 if the pergola is attached to the house).

You will find more information here (in French):-

http://www.declarationprealable.fr/g...-concernes.php

Before your response I thought she was right and still do. I have spoken to a few people who have said the same thing that under 5m2 and it is not necessary. Isn't that the same as my question earlier this year about building a greenhouse. No DP etc if it is less than 5m2. Also there are a couple of houses around with small pergolas which all look around the same size. Hence my query over this.

I sent you the link, you just need to read it. There has never been an exemption for 5m2.

Yes I can see that thank you but is this a new ruling?

Our mayor's secretary sent us a link last year stating..... "Vous pouvez installer une serre sans formalité si la hauteur n'excède pas 1,80 mètre".

She also sent through a link to suggest this too? Her email before this was as follows....
"Vous trouverez ci-joint une information relative à l'installation d'annexes dans un jardin. Vous n'avez pas besoin de déposer une déclaration en mairie pour installer votre pergola ni pour refaire la surface autour de votre piscine".

Yes, a greenhouse used for growing plants does not need to be declared if it is less than 1.80m (at its highest point). But a pergola is higher than this and is not used (exclusively) for growing plants. Do a DP for your pergola and you will not have a problem.

I cannot forward the secretaries other link as it is photocopied onto an email but have just found this on the service public link. Her link was sent to us by the secretary at the end of last year. I will keep trying to attach a copy if poss. In the meantime this is what I have found which is very up to date, as of this evening!

https://www.service-public.fr/particuliers/vosdroits/F31471

Why would they let you build a permanent structure 12m tall (that's equivalent to 4 storeys high) but only 5m2 in area, it makes no sense? Best to check the PLU for your commune.

What in France makes any sense?

We had this discussion in another thread about a greenhouse, and agreed that 5 m² is impossible (for anything except for storing a few tools), even if it is 12 m high.
A pergola less than 5 m² isn't worth bothering to build....
So a pergola of up to 20m² must be declared, preferably before constructing it...

There for the whole issue of yes I can build a pergola under 5m2 is indeed correct as mentioned by our Notaire and the secretary? Therefor I have wasted an hour of my evening justifying this surely? Yes a DP for more but it is possible to build 2 at 5m2 !

You could have built the pergola in the time you have spend discussing it on this forum! Why not do what most people do here and just get on with it - I did one in a day having bought the timber from Leroy Merlin. If anyone asks or raises an objection its an easy enough thing to take down as a last resort. If not then it will be covered in climbing plants in a couple of years as if it has been there forever. If it was a masonry house extension or some significant the answer would have been different of course.

I agree I have wasted time on here this evening and am not best happy about it. I have also emailed our Notaire again and doubted her, so again have wasted mine and her time. I also don't want to go to LM and buy one or two pergolas that I may have to tear down in a few months time. I don't want to be pissing off the mayor or anyone else come to that but agree! I also did not know about the taxes following the DP approval this morning so whilst this evening has been frustrating I also now know about the possible consequences of a DP. This pergola would also be attached to a house and is not a standard square size.Some neighbours her do have small pergolas so this was one reason I doubted the response on here about not needing a DP under 5m2.