The Accidental Smallholder Forum
Community => Introduce yourself => Topic started by: desigreeneyes on June 14, 2010, 07:44:02 pm
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Hello all,
We are very new to this and, in fact have not started our smallholding yet. We have been trying to research as much as possible before starting out on our dream.
We have been given 7 acres of land and we are looking to move onto this land and start up a smalholding. Our main problem at the moment is finding out about any planning regulations that would stop us having a caravan placed on the land for us to live in.
Could anyone please point us in the right direction?
Thanks in advance :)
Desi and Neil.
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Hello and welcome, I am in Fife. :wave:
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Hello James. We are in Derbyshire :wave:
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Are you thinking about keeping any animals? I have ducks, geese, ponies, hens, goats, dogs - all as pets though.
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We are hoping for chickens, goats and piggies :D
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Hello Desi and Neil. I'm in N W Leicestershire so not too far. Without wishing to sound negative getting planning to live and or build on agricultural land is very difficult. The best thing to do if you want to be above board is to speak to the planning office first.. Now then that'll get you on their radar and they'll be a total pain in the ass.. Sorry but my experience.. Or you could put some agricultural animals like pigs, sheep etc on there put your caravan in the most hidden spot possible and chance your luck.. Worse comes to worse you retrospectively apply for things. I'm sure others will chip in but my experience has been shall we say mixed with planners! Good luck both
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I would apply for permission to erect an agricultural building/ pole barn for storage - then quietly put my caravan inside and say nowt
regards
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Ive heard that having rare breed animals can help gain planning permission for a temporary dwelling. Also alpacas http://www.wellground.com/Alpacas/article.htm
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Hello and welcome from Derbyshire - the very middle!
have you been in touch with the council? make it A "we are wondering if..." enquiry, be vague til they give you a straight answer!!
good luck
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A new(non agricultural) business that has a USP (Unique Selling Point)is likely to get permission.
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Welcome!
Getting planning for a permanent residence on agricultural land is nigh on impossible here (Surrey). I should know, my erstwhile neighbour went about it the WRONG way so I can tell you how not to do it! Talk to the planning authority and check to see if there are any precedents set. If you are thinking of living there full time it will require permission for change of use. Don't P*** off the neighbours! A friendly word will go far. (I shouldn't complain - the reason I am here is because I bought the land off the previous owners as they couldn't get planning!)
Good luck and look forward to hearing your progress report.
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I am in Derbyshire too .....green belt land, so no way we can have any caravan to live in (except while renovating our farmhouse). Don't know where you are, but I think I am right in saying that you need a large acreage, to prove you need to live on the land to look after your animals. If it was that easy, everyone would be doing it, so I suppose thats why its made difficult.
I would speak to the planners, best to have them on side, as once you cross them, life is difficult. A lady not far from us, had a large acreage, and tried to live in a mobile home - seems she had sold her house and barn to other people. It ended that she got an eviction order served, and she could not live in her mobile home within so many miles radius.
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Thank you all for your speedy replies. :love:
I have been on to the planning dept. They were supposed to ring me back either yesterday or today. Seems we are not off to a good start! I will try them again tomorrow but I dont want to pester them.
In the mean time we are looking to purchase 2 goats. I am going to the cattle market on thursday to get some idea of prices of various animals and see if I can make some friends while I am there (wish me luck)!
I will keep you guys updated on our progress.
Desi xxx
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Good luck Desi it'd be nice to hear of someone with a planning success story so fingers crossed!
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:wave:
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hi my accountant recently got planning on there 25 acreas ,with all the animals they had,and there was a lot,they got permission for 3 years for a Log cabbin after 3 years they will be assesed again!.best of luck.
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Hi from the Scottish Borders. I wouldn't try to buy my first lot of stock from the market, but from people you either know or that are recommended to you. That way you not only know where your animals come from, but also have someone to ring back for advice and it is much less likley that you will be sold rubbish stock at too high a price.
Other smallholders are great, as are the various breed societies. ESpecially for goats it is much better to buy the animal where you can collect from the previous owner, so you can have some idea as to how the animals were looked after previously. We are usually a friendly bunch, and I got really good advice from various visits to other goatkeepers. We had to build the goatshed from scratch (with agricultural PP), so "noseing" round other peoples was invaluable.
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Hi and welcome,
I would agree with Anke, if you buy from a market, you get no previous history on the goat, what medication it has recieved, vaccinations etc. I would go to someone who keeps them directly. There are some useful links online for contact details- check out the British Goat Society http://www.allgoats.co.uk/ (http://www.allgoats.co.uk/) There is apparently a Derbyshire Dairy goat club
DERBYSHIRE DAIRY GOAT CLUB
Mrs C Woodward, Headhouse Farm, Mapperley, Ilkeston, Derbyshire, DE7 6BX.
Tel: 0115 9324706
E-mail: christine@headhouse.freeserve.uk
There is a website listed for them, but the link isn't working.
Found this link which may have info on it- but be warned the info is seriously out of date (at least if the addresses for the scottish contacts are anything to go by) http://www.clubcorner.co.uk/countrybreeds/goatclubsuk.htm (http://www.clubcorner.co.uk/countrybreeds/goatclubsuk.htm)
Nothing beats speaking to other goatkeepers to gain experience, and like Anke says, its always interesting seeing how other people keep their goats. A good site for finding stock for sale is http://www.ukgoats.co.uk/ (http://www.ukgoats.co.uk/) Also, if you are thinking about a milking goat, a chance to practice milking is always a good idea!
Beth
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You will need planning permission for a caravan (for living in) on any land, be it your garden, agricultural or any other land.
Do you have many neighbours, do you know them, will they complain, are you visible from any roads, do you have any shelter in the field so your not spotted by satellite when the powers that be do there mapping? Maybe worth just putting a caravan on there and seeing if anyone objects ;D
If its not agricultural land you could possible get away with having a caravan on there and moving it around?
Someone posted a link on here the other day in another thread which I found very interesting:-
http://www.fieldtofarm.com/
I may have to get the book just out of interest.
It explains (more so in the book I guess) the procedure for - well - turning your field into a farm.
From what I can remember you will need to have a little more acreage (12.5) and a good agricultural business plan along with a need to stay on the land to care for your business needs/animals.
I wish you the very best of luck.
Ta
Baz
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Hello Dezi how did it go?Loads of info and much bewilderment ? :farmer: :wave: