Russ, no, the EU/ UK are definitely not democracies. They may have been at one time. I think the correct term for the UK structure is an 'oligarchy'.
Karen and Annie. Thanks. I'll check those links out Annie. I suppose the idea of building a cabin in the woods is probably too shocking for planners to accept. Does anyone have any idea what the rationale is behind UK planners? Or is just a case of 'it depends on the personal taste/ mood/ feeling of the individual planner'? That would make buying any land that doeesn't have planning permission a huge gamble.
Annie, what would be a decent price-range be per acre for land that you could use for agriculture and building a house on? Is iit a reasonable risk to buy land without planning permission in the hope that you might get it? If so, anyone any ideas what type of land this would be designated as?