[Smith473]

Evening all.

I’m in the process of purchasing a 25acre small holding / plot of land with a small fishing pond.
The site currently has no living accommodation erected.
The site is situated close to other homes / farm buildings.
Our intention is to run a low key small holding initially consisting of chickens, a couple of donkeys, goats and bees as well as a decent sized vegetable patch.
I would also like to plant about an acre or two of trees, and an acre or two of wild meadow.
In addition, I would look to offer up free of charge the land / pond for a get away / camping retreat for ex servicemen.
I plan to step back from my transport company within the next 5yrs, but my partner is keen to retire from the NHS sooner rather than later and concentrate on the small holding.
My question is would I be able to obtain planning permission to build my family a 4/5 bed home?
This small holding is close to where my partner currently lives, but sadly I live 20mins away.
Somewhat long winded in know, but thank you for taking the time to read my thread. I
Regards
Tony

[Rosemary]

Hi, welcome to TAS.
Try this https://tlio.org.uk/chapter7/

[Smith473]

Rosemary

Many thanks, I'm very happy with any guidance, direction and help.

So again, thank you.

[chrismahon]

Hi Smith473 and welcome to the forum. The NHS pension is very good if you reach full term, but it isn't 'triple locked' so it reduces somewhat over the years (by 7% this year). I was thinking along the lines of a change of use to a campsite using your partners retirement bonus to go towards the shower block and accommodation? Twenty minutes away is very close- I commuted nearly an hour each way for many years. That distance wouldn't be considered as grounds to live on site, although you may get part of the year allowed for some period (11 months of the year?)


Once the campsite is established perhaps try for planning permission for a house?

[landroverroy]

Evening all.

I’m in the process of purchasing a 25acre small holding / plot of land with a small fishing pond.
The site currently has no living accommodation erected.
The site is situated close to other homes / farm buildings.
Our intention is to run a low key small holding initially consisting of chickens, a couple of donkeys, goats and bees as well as a decent sized vegetable patch.
I would also like to plant about an acre or two of trees, and an acre or two of wild meadow.
In addition, I would look to offer up free of charge the land / pond for a get away / camping retreat for ex servicemen.



I plan to step back from my transport company within the next 5yrs, but my partner is keen to retire from the NHS sooner rather than later and concentrate on the small holding.
My question is would I be able to obtain planning permission to build my family a 4/5 bed home?
This small holding is close to where my partner currently lives, but sadly I live 20mins away.
Somewhat long winded in know, but thank you for taking the time to read my thread. I
Regards
Tony

Without wishing to sound bleak Tony, it is highly unlikely you will get permission to build a house on that acreage, with the plans that you have. There is nothing there that necessitates you living on site, and nor is there enough land for you to make a living wage with the livestock you will have. Unless you were going to have such as intensive pigs, calves, or poultry or something similar which involved intensive animal keeping, you would be classed as a hobby farmer.
In order to get permission to build a house you have to demonstrate you have enough income to live on - not merely that you can produce enough food for your needs. As farmers nowadays have difficulty earning a living on a 200 acre farm, I'm afraid 25 acres is far from the mark.


I have a small farm, which has taken me 40 years to build up to 60 acres and it has never made me enough to live on, and nor have I managed to build a house on it. But I do have a house in the area, and I have successfully lambed 100 ewes and calved 20 cows, and foaled a couple of donkeys/year without it being a particular hardship that I had to drive down the road to check them.  I also have a 5 acre fishing lake and that's not a particular money spinner either.
So I would suggest you look for a suitable house or building plot in the area, and if near enough, I don't think it will spoil your enjoyment of your retirement or of your plans to any great extent.


PS However, instead of just relying on a forum post, I recommend you go on  Facebook and join Planning Geek Community.  It is an amazing group, full of qualified planning professionals who are always ready to give accurate advice. They will direct you towards the official planning guidance where you can see for yourself, but maybe in more technical terms, what I have attempted to explain.