[Ashley91]

Hi guys, I was hoping I could get some advice.
I've been thinking of building a small holding for years, though I've immediately hit my first stumbling block.
I was naive enough to think, it would be easy to buy land then start building, then the difficult stuff would come ie actually creating a functional smallholding/homestead.
Though looking into just getting land to build on, it seems nearly impossible without 100s of thousands and multiple permissions and licenses.
I'm not wanting to build a grand structure, just a cabin (even static caravan) for me and my family to live in, with obviously all the smallholding essentials.
Can anyone give me advice on how to get started and the easiest ways around hurdles.
Thanks so much

[SallyintNorth]

Yep, that's the problem.  You can't just add a dwelling to a plot of land, you need planning permission for the dwelling, which means more money (to buy a plot with a dwelling or pp for one), or taking a long approach. 

So one way to start is to get bare land nearby to somewhere you can afford to live, and build up the holding without living on it, to the point where you can demonstrate the need for a dwelling and the viability of the holding to sustain itself.

And you can start to build up a holding with livestock (you need livestock to demonstrate a need to live on site, really) by renting odd bits of land, you don't necessarily have to start with buying land.  Although many landowners will be wary of renting land to inexperienced folk, so maybe before any of that, get yourself experienced with livestock.

One Planet Development in Wales is a bit different to the approach the other countries take, might make the process more suitable for you. 

Have a read up of all the Chapter7 stuff on the This Land is Ours website too.  linky

[Backinwellies]

I'm not wanting to build a grand structure, just a cabin (even static caravan) for me and my family to live in, with obviously all the smallholding essentials.

Even that needs planning consent ..... thank goodness or the countyrside would soon turn into sububia with buildings and carovans everywhere.

So your main options are buy a house near where you can get land to buy or rent   or save up (a lot!)  to buy a smallholding ......  most smallholders round here are in their 50's or 60's for a reason.

[Penninehillbilly]

A local landowner has recently split and sold plots of land at what I though was high price for agricultural land. Someone has already put a caravan on one to live in, and by the sounds of it, local council has been inundated with letters of complaints. Thank Goodness!
We live in a beautiful area, of course it looks a lovely place to live, but not if everyone could just come and set up camp on every bit of land, con you imagine what our beautiful english countryside would look like?
Sometimes planning regulations are useful.