[Clarebelle]

Does anyone who lives up aberdeenshire/Moray way have any experience of planning consents granted for rural property? Is it common for people to be allowed to extend or is it usually something not done in that part of the country?

I know planning permission is on a case by case basis so its impossible to say with any certainty whether planning is likely to be granted but I just wondered what the general experience was.

Reason I ask is we are looking for property up there and found one which is a 2/3 bed but the 3rd bed is tiny so would need to extend at some point. If there isnt a likelyhood of extending we will focus our search on bigger properties.

[lachlanandmarcus]

Unless the property is listed (like ours!) or the extension would dramatically impact on neighbours then mostly they (Aberdeenshire) are pretty willing to grant PP from my experience. They will only refuse if it is massive or hideous or the materials used are eg UPVC in conservation area etc or it completely overwhelms the main house.
Is the property in a village snug up close to a neighbours house, or is it out in the sticks and / or in a good sized plot?
A lot of people are quite unhappy with their experienced of planning in Aberdeenshire but we have found them very cooperative providing you work with them on the things that they really cant move on.
On paper neither of the major things we have wanted to do (small mansard on B listed house we were restoring from dereliction, and resinstatement and extension of ruined croft cottage in the middle of a field) would look to have much chance of success if you believed all the bad mouthing of the areas planners. But by working with them positively we have achieved both.
What is of course a bit dodgy is the 'planning gain' system which in old money would have been known as a 'bribe' :-OOOO but thats common to all planners and is really only an issue with 'new' buildings.

[Clarebelle]

Thank you for that info, I was hoping that would be the case. The house is three miles outside the nearest village and set in 10 acres. There are a few other farms nearby but not really close so I dont think neighbours would be a problem. We would only need a small extension.

Even if we dont go for this one its handy to know for any others we find in the future.

[doganjo]

Sorry to disillusion you but Aberdeenshire planning are little tin gods!  I built a brand new house with few problems until it was finished and I had temporary habitation permission, then a new planning officer came on board and was very aggressive - phoned me to say I couldn't have my chimney going through to roof, it had to go through on the apex - apparently that was 'in keeping' with the others in the area.  I looked out my window - saw 6 other houses with NOT ONE going through the apex.  Called her back and got a load of abuse.  I eventually told her my house was already built, I wasn't going to change it and invited her to come and see it. She hadn't checked the paperwork.  I got an apology from her boss but not her and full completion the following day.
I have just spent 4 years and £3000 on getting Planning in Principle - NOT full, although to be honest that might have been easier, for the plot left over from when I sold the croft.  I had to do a tree survey £500 then the Council environment chap disagreed with it,  I have 3 old beech trees one of which is rooted on a mound, my tree surgeon gave them a lifespan of about 20 years at most as they all have problems of lumps, bumps and holes.  Council man put a TPO on them! So now we have to put up protective fencing before starting ANY work - not even electrics to the site which will be from the adjacent field nowhere near the trees!   
So if you are in Garioch, B---y good luck!
And get yourself a Planning Consultant rather than just any old architect!  I eventually did that and it helped get me to this point with the plot.

[lachlanandmarcus]

I don't think the OP will have that sort of issue for a small extension to an unlisted house in its own extensive grounds TBH.....:-)


Brand new whole houses are always a different and more difficult scenario.


BTW OP we also got PP for a 4 stable mini barn stable block.


We are in Marr area btw, very close to and visible from the national park .

[goosepimple]

Planning deparments always have someone who can do a pre-planning consultation or someone you can chat to over the phone, the planning officers have set areas geographically to deal with and know what's going on in that area.

[sabrina]

Up here its who you know and if your face fits.

[Clarebelle]

Thanks for the advise everyone. We wouldnt ever do anything huge as it would defeat the object of buying a nice old farmhouse! But we have found that quite often the 3 beds in our budget tend to have a very small third bedroom so sticking within our budget means possibly extending in the future.

[clydesdaleclopper]

I'm right on the Aberdeenshire/ Moray border and from what I've heard from neighbours Moray are easier than Aberdeenshire.

[Clarebelle]

Thats good to know as really we are looking for anything within 50 miles of lossiemouth! 

[Ina]

And you can get any consent you like provided you are stinking rich and lie to the council... 

[lachlanandmarcus]

ummmm we're not rich (esp at the moment!) and didnt lie about anything.....so you can absolutely get PP without that!!!!!
However I agree that if you are rich and do lie (not mentioning any names Monsieur Trump) then you will get it easier and sometimes when you shouldnt and when you or I certainly wouldnt.

[happygolucky]

here its who you know and if your face fits.

Think that's true for a lot of things let alone planning, we lived in a conservation village and the man who we bought a house off bought a listed building the knocked it down and built a horrid big thing, the fine was less than the price he got for the horrid house, then our neighbour who was lovely by the way, had a huge extention and people used to stop and look at it as it was so ugly yet the house was a very attractive one, no doors or windows or bricks matched, the extention stood out like a bit of Lego a kid had done, we all found it strange that they got planning on it!!
We did get planning approved in this house for a separate granny annex but have no money to build it, no probs only that we cannot use it as a separate building and sub let it, that's due to parking rather than anything else.
Good luck and a few golden handshakes at the golf club and your in (sorry all you planners on here)

[doganjo]

Planning deparments always have someone who can do a pre-planning consultation or someone you can chat to over the phone, the planning officers have set areas geographically to deal with and know what's going on in that area.

Oh yes, I did that - both times, and was assured both would go through on teh nod - till NIMBY's got busy!

[Blairordens7]

Hi Clarebell, I would be really interested to find out how you get on as I have just bought a 2/3 bedroom farmhouse in Aberdeenshire where I am in exactly the same situation as yourself - wanting to add a small same height extension (adding less than 50% of current floor area) for a kitchen and additional bedroom. I have discussed it with my only near neighbour and they at least seem quite happy, especially as I intend to source reclaimed granite for it and keep it as close to the stye of the original building as I can. I've given myself a year to get everything in place so hopefully that will be enough time.