We've got planning permission!!!
Discussion
I'm sober now, but still pretty happy (and shell-shocked).
We've finally got planning permission to build a house on the site of the crumbling farm house that we bought four years ago. Three years ago we sold our house, bought a static caravan and moved on site. Since then we've had two kids, bought chickens, grown pumpkins and done various other things to distract ourselves whilst waiting for planning permission.
Getting permission has involved three official applications (and about twelve different designs, most of which were unofficially discussed whilst preparing the official plans). We've had to go to appeal, had to prepare flood prevention plans, had to please conservation, the local council, the bio-diversity officer and the planners. Luckily our neighbours have been quite happy to see us looking after the site, and are keen to see the derelict farm house and collapsing sheds replaced by a proper home.
So.. now we've got to sort out building regs, do site investigations (piled foundations will be necessary) finalise designs, get quotations, choose suppliers, builders and fitters, clear the site and a million and one other little (and big) jobs.
As I said, we're shell shocked, but pretty happy right now.
We've finally got planning permission to build a house on the site of the crumbling farm house that we bought four years ago. Three years ago we sold our house, bought a static caravan and moved on site. Since then we've had two kids, bought chickens, grown pumpkins and done various other things to distract ourselves whilst waiting for planning permission.
Getting permission has involved three official applications (and about twelve different designs, most of which were unofficially discussed whilst preparing the official plans). We've had to go to appeal, had to prepare flood prevention plans, had to please conservation, the local council, the bio-diversity officer and the planners. Luckily our neighbours have been quite happy to see us looking after the site, and are keen to see the derelict farm house and collapsing sheds replaced by a proper home.
So.. now we've got to sort out building regs, do site investigations (piled foundations will be necessary) finalise designs, get quotations, choose suppliers, builders and fitters, clear the site and a million and one other little (and big) jobs.
As I said, we're shell shocked, but pretty happy right now.
g your house off when it's finished?Congratulations...i know exactly how you feel!!
This is another major problem with the British construction industry. There is sooooo much red tape, bureaucratic nonsense that goes into planning, that even before you start digging the foundations you are looking at a huge bill!! It all adds to the prcie of the house at the end of the day.
Its hilarious how Brown comes out saying they want such and such new houses built by 2010 and all that, but he keeps sticking in policies and regs that constantly lengthen and delay project timeframes.
Lack of common sense anyone?
This is another major problem with the British construction industry. There is sooooo much red tape, bureaucratic nonsense that goes into planning, that even before you start digging the foundations you are looking at a huge bill!! It all adds to the prcie of the house at the end of the day.
Its hilarious how Brown comes out saying they want such and such new houses built by 2010 and all that, but he keeps sticking in policies and regs that constantly lengthen and delay project timeframes.
Lack of common sense anyone?
krap said:
Why didnt you just buy a house already built, save yourself all that bother and stress?
In this corner of the country, a nice house on a decent plot of land with useful garage space is hideously expensive (and I mean hideously, even with the house price correction).We get more house, to the exact specification we want, for less money. Whilst it sounds like a big deal, living in a caravan isn't a problem - we're in a fantastic location, up to our eyeballs with fresh fruit and veg, lovely countryside and a great village with good facilities. We're also only two stops on the fast train to London. We've got parking spaces for six cars, and we could get moring for a boat only a hundred yards away if we wanted. Against all that, the fact that our bedroom is 4'6" by 6' long is not exactly a hardship.
phib said:
Congrats I know how you feel, I have been going for planning for 4 years now and had the appeal officer out yesterday so I have a 5 week wait ……
I am on my 9th set of plans now and third application
Good luck. We lost our appeal (not impressed), but won the war because it gave us a concrete set of guidelines we could follow in our next application. Up until that point, the planners found it difficult to give us a clear and consistent view of what was suitable for the site. It's very difficult for self-builders because pretty much by definition, you're building in an odd site, to a unique design and with unique constraints. Making sure that fits in with the planning regime can be a challenge.I am on my 9th set of plans now and third application
phib said:
Ah I wondered what happened if we were turned down on appeal do you they give you a concrete plan by default or did you have to ask ?
We have no neighbours complaining .. in fact they just want us to get on with it so we dont bring the tone of the road down !!!
They should give you a clear set of reasons for the rejection - which you can then use to sort out your design. Obviously, the reasons could be that the sort of development you're proposing is simply not suitable for your site, in which case you're in deep trouble. Alternatively, they can be specific elements (eg. height, orientation, materials etc.) which you should be able to deal with to make your next application acceptable.We have no neighbours complaining .. in fact they just want us to get on with it so we dont bring the tone of the road down !!!
In our case, each time we spoke to the planners they had a different objection, some of which were contradictory. The appeal gave us 12 points that the appeals officer felt had not been met (most of them minor). We tore up the old design, and started from scratch, making sure that we fitted within the criteria of the appeal.
scotal said:
Well done Tuna, keep us up to date on the build wont you. (Will you be doing a blog? )
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