The Accidental Smallholder Forum
Smallholding => Buildings & planning => Topic started by: Millsy on February 16, 2016, 10:37:42 am
-
Other than introduction, my first post on TAS :wave:
We are considering buying a property in a conservation area. Has anyone living within a conservation area had any real issues with what they want to do and what they are allowed to do within The area?
I understand that many things require approval such as cutting trees above a certain diameter etc, For example would a poly tunnel and small animal shelters be accepted?
Thanks
-
Think you are better speaking to your planning department - they will have an officer assigned to your area, often such things can be overcome with additional planting of trees and hedging to obscure sheds and the like, but you don't want to rub the existing community up the wrong way - people tend to think that smallholders may be putting old car tyres and bits of carpet everywhere, old clapped out Fergie tractors and the like, sheds made out of old pallets. Yup that pretty much sounds like 70% of the folk on here.....keeping it real.
Best to find out what you can do and work within the parameters I'd say. As a smallholder it will be vital (I stress!) to keep in with the locals.
-
A lot depends on council
Take a look here at enforcement appeals may give you a insight
https://acp.planningportal.gov.uk/CaseSearch.aspx (https://acp.planningportal.gov.uk/CaseSearch.aspx)
Scroll to case type, drop down box, pick "Enforcement Listed Building and Conservation Area Appeals"
Then search
-
It all depends on alot of unknown external factors but....
You would need to seek full planning permission to build an animal shelter and the animal shelter would have to be for agricultural use if it was sited on agricultural land.
You could place a moveable shelter on your land like a pig ark which could be moved around or a small moveable shelter for goats or chickens etc etc - but the animal has to be agricultural - ie not a horse or a dog shelter unless the horse or dog was part of an agricultural activity.
IMO There are more stringent rules on shelters for animals that say perhaps a barn to store machinery or a workshop as you would only have to provide evidence that you wanted a shed (you could of course back it up with an argument that you also need it as well as want it).
If you want a building I would suggest putting in an application for a garage and workshop, dont mention animals ever as it wont help the application unless you have a big business necessity in terms of creating an feasible income.
Many councils also dont allow polytunnels without full planning beit in or out of conservation areas.
We are in a conservation area we have had the normal run-ins with planning but its only been a pain cos the paperwork - never had anything turned down, but had to have certain materials and roofing. etc etc
If you have enough land and agricultural activities you can apply for prior notification planning - which is decided within 28 days of the application, it is also assessed by someone in agriculture and with us outside the remit of the national park. - which was good cos the planner didnt like me, but the assessor did.
I think you need 15 acres and we had to show that we were 'farming' in some sense of the word - and I also needed a shed to repair tractors off the public footpath that runs through our front gate and through the middle of the yard.
I think you are also have your permitted development rights restricted. ie in a city you can build an extention of a certain size without planning now - you will need planning or to ask if you need planning in a conservation area.
-
Planning department is first port of call. Also look at the deeds of the property - we once lived in one where it was specifically mentioned we weren't allowed to build a brick kiln in the garden!
-
Hello
We bought a year ago in a conservation area. We have a 8x6 shed (within garden) for the chickens, and in the paddock area we have 3 more chicken coops, 1 duck house and a field shelter for geese. Also in paddock area we have a polytunnel. Just had a slab base put down for a large summerhouse. Neighbours called out the council. Planning enforcement came out to see us. Said all was fine and to carry on.