[SJK]

Hi all,

I've been reading a lot on here, great place. 

At the moment, I am searching for land to purchase, very little out there. 

Is planning below 5 ha such a PITA? Or in reality does it not make that much difference, other than submitting a full application?

So, is it really worth holding out for the 5 hectares? Would be great to hear from people who have under 5 ha.

[SJK]

Not looking for a dwelling, just regular agri buildings maybe one day some diversification for extra income.

[macgro7]

It's ridiculous how expensive land is nowadays in this country. Around here (Leicestershire) farm going for 2mln stay in the market only for couple of weeks.
Houses with several acres paddocks sell for a million pounds.
If you wanna be a smallholder/farmer you need to win national lottery...
Hopefully soon 

[clydesdaleclopper]

Remember that in Scotland there isn't a 5ha limit.

[juliem]

Five hectares is also  the minimum acreage for getting the single farm payment.Now what will happen to the rules for this in the future with Mr Gove and Brexit who knows?
It could be in the future they will link 5 hectares to grants for stewardship schemes...hedge laying etc in some parts of the British Isles.

[Rosemary]

Five hectares is also  the minimum acreage for getting the single farm payment.Now what will happen to the rules for this in the future with Mr Gove and Brexit who knows?
It could be in the future they will link 5 hectares to grants for stewardship schemes...hedge laying etc in some parts of the British Isles.

3ha in Scotland.

[alang]

3ha in Scotland.

Didn't know that. I always worked on the premise of 5ha. Thanks for that Rosemary 

[arobwk]

I would offer the opinion that it doesn't really make much difference:  I would say that what really matters is whether any development is proportionate/pertinent to the land and intended usage/operations and to the environmental setting.  Also, as I recall, an agricultural PD notification will cost you £80 and a basic agri' planning app' will also cost you £80.  (My 2nd planning app' cost me more than that cos I moved the dev' site, rather than argue with the planning officer, which then involved some extensive ground works increasing the development area!  I'm not actually complaining cos I was of mind to relocate to the designated site idc as a phase 2 - so phase 2 was simply brought forward, albeit stretching my start-up budget.)
I would add that, from my experience, a dev' proposal related to creation of a new rural business (clearly described, but no detailed biz plan required) will likely help:  it was very clear from initial contact with planning officer that I would get dev' Approval - it was just a matter of dancing around a bit. 

[bazzais]

Permitted development is not just a case of having enough land to build a house on cheap agricultural land and still continue to work elsewhere in a job solely for someone else/company.  Otherwise we would not have a countryside.

The magic number along with permissions encompasses that you can survive off that land and be part of the local community - sustainable.

[Lol]

Hi everyone
Please may I ask for some advice?
I have 6 acres and I am considering buying a further 6.5 acres.
I want to put in for permitted development for a barn which we intend to build ourselves.
If I do and I am successful can I then put a mobile home on site? If so can I just do it or do I need authorisation?
The land is Shropshire.
Thank you all for your help 

[Backinwellies]

Putting up a barn does not give permission to have a mobile home.    You would need planning for the mobile home ... which could be more difficult than the barn.

[SmallWelshBarn]

Sorry to hijack the thread. I currently have about 8 acres I am looking to purchase a further 5 acres of land to bring me up to 5 hectares. I already have enough buildings etc but any time I want to make a change I am ham strung as I am under 5 hectares. I recently wanted to put an open sided lean-to to store hay logs etc on the rear of one of my buildings . I have been told by the planners that I will need planning even for such a simple thing.
If I want to create a hardstanding area again I am limited.
I can possibly purchase some extra land on the other side of my hill would that count to the 5 hectares ?

[landroverroy]

Yes. All your land does not need to be in one block. You don't even need to own it all. Rented land also counts. In fact you could say that you rent additional land, by arrangement with a willing landowner. You do not need to prove that you farm it, you only need to say that you do.

[honeyend]

Hi everyone
Please may I ask for some advice?
I have 6 acres and I am considering buying a further 6.5 acres.
I want to put in for permitted development for a barn which we intend to build ourselves.
If I do and I am successful can I then put a mobile home on site? If so can I just do it or do I need authorisation?
The land is Shropshire.
Thank you all for your help

Store your mobile home in your barn.
  This is what the planning officer told a friend of mine when she had tried and failed( it went to appeal) to get a mobile home on her smallholding.

[landroverroy]

Hi everyone
Please may I ask for some advice?
I have 6 acres and I am considering buying a further 6.5 acres.
I want to put in for permitted development for a barn which we intend to build ourselves.
If I do and I am successful can I then put a mobile home on site? If so can I just do it or do I need authorisation?
The land is Shropshire.
Thank you all for your help

Store your mobile home in your barn.
  This is what the planning officer told a friend of mine when she had tried and failed( it went to appeal) to get a mobile home on her smallholding.

Not a good idea - even though I'm all for getting round rules where possible.   - hence the motto.
If you read up about recent planning decisions regarding hidden residences, you will see that deliberate concealment of a home for the requisite time needed for exemption from planning will invalidate any application for lawful development. This means that if your home is fairly obvious - could be in a wood or behind a building for example, but it isn't brought to the attention of the planners, then after 4 or 10 years, as required, you can apply for and get a certificate of lawful development. But if it is obviously and deliberately concealed, as inside a building, then you have invalidated your right.