Buying houses, planning permission

[The Bear]

I'd like to move somewhere a bit more rural. I can't afford locally to buy what I want, but I think I can afford to buy smaller and in a few years extend to what I want. I've looked at the planning portal which has lots of info about permitted development but doesn't give any rules on what you are likely to receive planning permission for. I assume to some extent it depends on the borough?

So how do you decide to buy somewhere if you are unsure if you'll get the PP for what you want to do it it? Is it a gamble, are their rules? I'm a bit green on this, my extension was done under PP but I was never worried I wouldn't get it and my workshop, was done under permitted development.

How do you avoid buying a house only to be turned down for PP.

As an example. I have seen a dormer bungalow. Only one close neighbour (2 storey house) and theres plenty of foilage in between. I would like to build up at least half a storey to give more useable space upstairs, and put an extension on of the same height. I haven't done any sums at all but it might be adding more than 50% volume. Its never been extended before. To possibly complicate things further I think its in an AONB.
Now there is a place up the road where they have pulled the old house down and built a large Huff House but most of the area is old 3/4 bed detached houses.

I realise a project I'm describing is a complete renovation, move out for a year etc but how do you mitgate the risk of being left in a house that doesn't suit your needs due to planning?

Mark

 

[Jacob]

Go and talk to the local planners before you buy. They won't (can't) commit themselves to any proposal but may give you a good idea of the outcome - particularly on what you can't do.

 

[Phil Pascoe]

You can't talk to ours any more - you have to pay for outline PP. I don't know what others are like.

 

[Random Orbital Bob]

and also the rule of thumb for extensions is you're allowed up to 50% of the original footprint. I've not heard of a volume related rule but I guess at some level they're all inter-linked. Precedent in houses nearby is also a good sign because its very difficult for a planning dept to turn down one householder when clearly another one nearby got permission granted. Timing is important and now just couldn't be better since the National requirement is to build build build. Having said that the primary need is to build new affordable housing.

 

[Woodchips2]

You can't talk to ours any more - you have to pay for outline PP. I don't know what others are like.

I don't think this is general, my experience has been that planning officers would prefer to have an informal consultation prior to an application, However at the end of the day it is the Planning Committee that makes the decisions and they do go against their own planning officer's recommendations.

In a rural area it is more difficult to find something similar to what you propose so that you can quote a precedent.

If you have a property in mind and some ideas why not approach the planners and adjoining neighbours to sound them out before shelling out on applications.

Regards Keith

 

[Steve Maskery]

You can apply for planning permission on a property you do not own. So you could apply to do what you want to a property you are considering buying, but only commit to the sale when the PP goes ahead.
Of course, a house with PP is worth more than one without...
S

 

[The Bear]

OK guys thanks for the replies. I've emailed the planners to see if they do an informal counter service.
Bob thats the 50% I had in the grey matter, it wouldn't be more than 50% of the original footprint, but probably would be in volume.

Mark

 

[Jacob]

You can't talk to ours any more - you have to pay for outline PP. I don't know what others are like.

I don't think this is general, my experience has been that planning officers would prefer to have an informal consultation prior to an application, However at the end of the day it is the Planning Committee that makes the decisions and they do go against their own planning officer's recommendations....

It is general.

 

[Owenw]

The council are likely to be useless, they're unlikely to give much advice away even if they are willing to speak to you, which mine won't informally.

Your best bet may be to speak to a private planning consultant, preferably local to the property who will have a good understanding of what will and won't be considered acceptable. He will undoubtably charge for his time, but given the financial implications of ending up with a house that is not suitable for your needs, it may be money well spent.

 

[The Bear]

So I've had a reply from the council

They do have an informal counter service but only for very general advice. For specific information on what is likely they charge £80. More of a problem than the price is the information they want. This is the extract from the part of their website they've directed me to :

The following basic information needs to be provided with any request for pre-application advice:

completed request for pre-application advice form (available under downloads)
description of the proposed development
a site location plan, with all site boundaries, neighbours and adjacent roads shown
existing scaled drawings - site layout plan, floor plans and all elevations
proposed scaled drawings - site layout plan, floor plans and all elevations
photographs of the existing site and buildings are also useful
Other supporting information that may be helpful:

design statement
highway information/transport assessment
drainage information and flood risk assessment
structural survey
information in relation to historical significance and justification/visual assessment and impact in Conservation Area
landscape and visual assessment
ecological survey
marketing evidence
results of preliminary consultation carried out by the applicant with other service providers
Please note that this list is not comprehensive and you may get asked for additional information during the consideration of your enquiry.

All of that seems a bit difficult to put together if you don't own the house and don't have any proper plans or elevation drawings of the existing house let alone what you want to do. I have ideas of what I'd like to do but would need an architect to inject ideas as well.
Really what I want to know is in principle, would you allow us to add half a storey. Would you allow us to add as extension of roughly this size in this area/on this side? I'm struggling to see how this pre application advice differs significantly from a proper application.

Mark

 

[Woodchips2]

Why not just go to the counter with the agent's details and say can you give me this general advice, 'can I add half a storey and/or an extension'. Perhaps remind them you propose becoming one of their council tax payers if the advice is positive :lol:

Regards Keith

 

[Phil Pascoe]

Back to the beginning. Go to our council and the "general advice" is go away and apply for outline PP. You may be lucky - it depends on the district.

 

[Steve Maskery]

My local council was quite helpful. Non-comittal, of course, but helpful nonetheless.

 

[Phil Pascoe]

Ours used to be.

 

[RobinBHM]

Some councils are more helpful than others. But they are all moving towards charging for any advice. Sometimes if you get through to the right person they might be bothered enough to have a look on the planning history for that property.

The amount of work involved in a pre app makes it hardly worth doing, you might as well do a full application -hardly realistic in this circumstance.

The basic criteria for planning is based on comparing your proposal against the planning policy framework for that area and combined with any amenity issues with neighbours etc. Some councils give a broad outline on their website.

I can see its a real risk buying a property that would not be suitable if you were able not to extend.

Fingers crossed another property will turn up soon thats already the right size