Planning Permission

[DealorNoDeal]

We tried to buy some agricultural land when we lived down there, no farmers would sell it

Some farmers will never sell but there's regularly farmland for sale. A 6.5 acre field, just down the road from us, sold for £80k a few months ago. Imagine if you could build a house on that. One of our neighbours wanted a bit of land to extend their garden, and the farmer owner was more than happy to sell (at the right price!).

Trolling aside I am a bit ambivalent. I want to have my view spoiled as little as the next guy but neither do I like come jumped up council jobsworth telling me what I can do with my land/house and at least intellectually it's obvious if we only allow development that nobody objects to, nothing would ever get built I live in a small village and every thing anyone wants to do is met by a wave of negativity "we don't need that" "they should do a car park instead" "what about the traffic" "that's next to my house can't it go somewhere else". I'm sure I would be just the same if it was next to me

I've never found Planning too unreasonable when it comes to development within the curtilage of a dwelling house, infill development or conversion of redundant commercial or agricultural buildings. But development on bare farmland is an entirely different matter. I think it's sensible that this is very strictly controlled.

[BlasterBates]

Well if this guy is told to tear down his barn he can probably use it as a caravan site instead.

[DealorNoDeal]

Well if this guy is told to tear down his barn he can probably use it as a caravan site instead.

Technically, he'd probably need planning permission for that.

[DealorNoDeal]

I heard yesterday that he's pissed off the walking fraternity. He's put up signs (ice cream, drinks etc) on the south west coast path, directing people to the shop.

[TheDude]

I heard yesterday that he's pissed off the walking fraternity. He's put up signs (ice cream, drinks etc) on the south west coast path, directing people to the shop.

With respect shouldn't this be in a local rag or on a NIMBY Nosy Neighbour Facebook page?

[d000hg]

Some farmers will never sell but there's regularly farmland for sale. A 6.5 acre field, just down the road from us, sold for £80k a few months ago. Imagine if you could build a house on that. One of our neighbours wanted a bit of land to extend their garden, and the farmer owner was more than happy to sell (at the right price!).

We were certainly bemused, our family house was a former farmhouse on the edge of a field. Our septic tank was in a little triangle in the corner of the field which the farmer couldn't even get into with the tractor and a decent size garden was the one thing missing... but we could not get him to sell it. I went through the old sale deeds sorting out the estate the other year and found initially it had been included then the farmer had noticed and made very sure we couldn't have it!

I've never found Planning too unreasonable when it comes to development within the curtilage of a dwelling house, infill development or conversion of redundant commercial or agricultural buildings. But development on bare farmland is an entirely different matter. I think it's sensible that this is very strictly controlled.

We've found council planners to be much more helpful than expected when doing works. People have it in their heads planners are their to stymie your plans but actually their job is to help you get things done, and make sure you aren't taking the piss. We found that if it was clear you were trying your best and not being adversarial they were willing to be a flexible and use common-sense not say "the regs say 150mm but this is 147mm".

[DealorNoDeal]

We were certainly bemused, our family house was a former farmhouse on the edge of a field. Our septic tank was in a little triangle in the corner of the field which the farmer couldn't even get into with the tractor and a decent size garden was the one thing missing... but we could not get him to sell it. I went through the old sale deeds sorting out the estate the other year and found initially it had been included then the farmer had noticed and made very sure we couldn't have it!

Maybe you didn't offer him enough money. Our neighbour had to pay through the nose for a tiny bit of field to extend their garden.

[DealorNoDeal]

Oh, and BTW, he's now applied for planning permission to build a house on the land...

It went to the Planning Committee and they approved it. This is in an agricultural field in the open countryside, in an AONB, where there were no existing buildings.

The 10 acre field cost him £100k five years ago. With PP for a new house, the site is now conservatively worth approaching £1M. Not a bad ROI.

There were special individual circumstances why they granted permission. (AFAIK, he didn't grease any palms )

[d000hg]

I heard yesterday that he's pissed off the walking fraternity. He's put up signs (ice cream, drinks etc) on the south west coast path, directing people to the shop.

WAlkers are a funny lot. I'd love an ice cream when walking.

[DealorNoDeal]

And here's the formula:

1) buy an agricultural field* somewhere nice
2) do a bit of "farming" on it (few goats, chickens etc)
3) hire a planning consultant who knows how to "navigate" the system
4) apply for planning permission for a house on the basis that [...] outweighs any planning considerations
5) get your (woke/virtue signalling) Parish Council and County Councillor on side
6) and with a bit of luck, bingo!

* can be as cheap as £10k/acre, depending on where you, live but certainly a tiny fraction of the cost of building land