Author Topic: So have I got this roughly right? (Read 6603 times)

howsono · « **on:** August 21, 2015, 10:07:51 pm »

1. Buy land
2. Produce business plan
3. Request permission for temporary accommodation with zero impact
4. Be rejected
5. Request again and recieve
6. Buy animals (in my case, sheepies, piggies, wabbits, ducks, chickens, a goat, 3 donkeys and a llama - wife wants a cow but I don't like early mornings)
7. Make about 8.5k (aggricultural laborours wage) at least once in the first three years
8. At 3 year point apply for permission to build house
9. Be rejected
10. Remind them they can't because we need to look after the animals
11. Go around point 8-10 a few times before being allowed to build our low-impact eco-friendly home?

Where's it going to go wrong? I have what I feel is a sound business plan (in my head) but wife won't wiggle at the moment as she thinks the chances of not being able to live there are too high.

paddy1200 · « **Reply #1 on:** August 21, 2015, 10:17:08 pm »

Looks about right to me, think you will struggle with point no. 7

DavidandCollette · « **Reply #2 on:** August 22, 2015, 07:50:00 am »

Please buy two goats not just one

shygirl · « **Reply #3 on:** August 22, 2015, 08:14:20 am »

or come to Scotland and buy a croft much easier.

Backinwellies · « **Reply #4 on:** August 22, 2015, 08:17:54 am »

Not sure what you are going to make 8k from.... Even a total of 8k in 3 years could be a challenge from your managary of animals........

Kimbo · « **Reply #5 on:** August 22, 2015, 08:47:53 am »

I agree with your wife re your chances of getting permission to live on land that isn't residential land.
My friend has quite a lot of animals and she has been completely unable to get permission to live on her land even though there is a static caravan there ( legally) for her to stay in temporarily when animals are birthing

Womble · « **Reply #6 on:** August 22, 2015, 09:50:35 am »

Quote from: Backinwellies on August 22, 2015, 08:17:54 am

Not sure what you are going to make 8k from.... Even a total of 8k in 3 years could be a challenge from your managary of animals........

It depends on what the business plan is. If sheepies, piggies, wabbits etc ARE the business plan then yes, it's going to be a challenge. However, from your introduction post howsono, I wonder if you have other plans too?

howsono · « **Reply #7 on:** August 22, 2015, 01:53:16 pm »

Quote from: paddy1200 on August 21, 2015, 10:17:08 pm

Looks about right to me, think you will struggle with point no. 7

That's actually the bit im least worried about! (a) there'll be additional income from the lovely tourists and (b) I'll have a separate income - the small holding will be primarily run by my wife and I'll be there full time during our busy periods.

howsono · « **Reply #8 on:** August 22, 2015, 01:53:55 pm »

Quote from: DavidandCollette on August 22, 2015, 07:50:00 am

Please buy two goats not just one

But then if I run away from one, the other might be waiting in ambush!

howsono · « **Reply #9 on:** August 22, 2015, 01:55:36 pm »

Quote from: Backinwellies on August 22, 2015, 08:17:54 am

Not sure what you are going to make 8k from.... Even a total of 8k in 3 years could be a challenge from your managary of animals........

We are building a tourist visitor area - the animals are a small but for me important part of it; eventually we want to be self sufficient as part of the project as well.

howsono · « **Reply #10 on:** August 22, 2015, 01:58:18 pm »

Quote from: Kimbo on August 22, 2015, 08:47:53 am

I agree with your wife re your chances of getting permission to live on land that isn't residential land.
My friend has quite a lot of animals and she has been completely unable to get permission to live on her land even though there is a static caravan there ( legally) for her to stay in temporarily when animals are birthing

I thought that was a legal requirement? I thought there was supposed to be a housing shortage in this country. We'd never be able to afford something with even a wrecked farm house on - takes land from 10s of thousands to 100s of thousands. Part of wanting to move away from London is not being able to afford a nice home.

Bionic · « **Reply #11 on:** August 22, 2015, 01:59:17 pm »

Quote from: howsono on August 22, 2015, 01:58:18 pm

Quote from: Kimbo on August 22, 2015, 08:47:53 am
I agree with your wife re your chances of getting permission to live on land that isn't residential land.
My friend has quite a lot of animals and she has been completely unable to get permission to live on her land even though there is a static caravan there ( legally) for her to stay in temporarily when animals are birthing

I thought that was a legal requirement? I thought there was supposed to be a housing shortage in this country. We'd never be able to afford something with even a wrecked farm house on - takes land from 10s of thousands to 100s of thousands. Part of wanting to move away from London is not being able to afford a nice home.

If it were that easy lots of people would be doing it

john and helen · « **Reply #12 on:** August 22, 2015, 06:37:06 pm »

making the money wouldn't be a problem if you have the right marketing ideas, you will also need to forget about the house 1st…and concentrate on the business, life is a gamble, the route you are taking is a hard route, and so it should be, or every tom dick or harry will buy land , buy a few animals and build a house…

i think the route should be hard….then at least we will have real traditional farms ,if people who take this route

as for making money….if you just buy one sheep, fatten it up and sell it at market, depending on the day, you may make no profit at all…you may even loose, or you may open up a online meat supply and sell half a lamb or a few joints, this will give you a better return…per sheep..or if you really put your mind to it…offer spit roasts…yes there will be a bigger outlay, but you may get 350 pounds per sheep or 500 pounds per pig… this naturally means more work…but if you have a dream, you need to work hard to make it work, you need to think outside the box..

as i said above..1st and for most the farm should be the priority, not the house,

is it possible..yes it is…its also legal, and very hard, you will need to study planing laws,

if you wish to build a traditional farm, i wish you all the very best

howsono · « **Reply #13 on:** August 22, 2015, 08:16:25 pm »

I wouldn't say we want to go traditional - or maybe far back into historical tradition: the animals are primarily for my stomach (oh and the kids and wife), although wouldn't be averse to moving in to selling the odd bit of spare. They're also part of the attraction bringing in visitors which is where the money comes from.

The focus isn't on the house; Well - sort of - I don't really want to build a house in the traditional sense of the word. More an eco-friendly movable home. Think Kevin McCloud's man made home. Only... more. We're a family of four, so couldn't live in a shed but do want a low-impact home to live on and see no reason for it to be built on an enormous lump of ecology-killing concrete.

It's one thing saying the path should be hard - but it also needs to be attainable. Making a living, building a business, living off-grid and at one with nature (I'm not a tree hugger by the way!), all of this is hard. Very hard. It shouldn't be hard persuading the council to follow the rules or having to rethink your ideas because your shed is 2' in the wrong direction. It's also not right to spend 3-5 years and your life savings doing the above, and then have some jobsworth tell you to get off your own land because he doesn't feel like passing your application now. This is my wife's worry. If we're doing this - we need somewhere to live. We can't afford to buy a house in a town/village AND some land AND set up a business. We also couldn't afford to go through this and then after 3 years have to sell our land and livestock - and throw away our investment at a massive loss.

So yes - hard is one thing - but it shouldn't be a gamble.