Help with planning

[Carroll144]

Long story short our local planning aren't helpful we applied for a small 3 bed bungalow on our 5 acres houses all around us so it's not that rural and local Tesco express in next village which is a 5 min drive and local school in less than that drive we were planning on having a small holding mainly for fun and to just be self sufficient and sell any surplus eggs etc they refused on the fact we had no need to build and it was to rural and as there's no bus routes close we would rely on cars (we do anyway) the land wasnt empty as we have horses on the land so we have to go thier atleast twice a day but apparently living there would increase traffic! Down the same road theres a agrigate pit so there's traffic down all the time
Anyway someone helped us with applying again and told us to put in our business plan as they knew that we were hoping to make the land pay (break even but feed us) the planning has now said that they can't process the application until we have a report from an suitably qualified independent appraiser to state the need for a dwelling.
Has anyone done this and if so did it help and what kind of person or company would be suitable as I can only seem to find appraisers for exsisting company's
Many thanks for reading

 

[Turra farmer]

Long story short our local planning aren't helpful we applied for a small 3 bed bungalow on our 5 acres houses all around us so it's not that rural and local Tesco express in next village which is a 5 min drive and local school in less than that drive we were planning on having a small holding mainly for fun and to just be self sufficient and sell any surplus eggs etc they refused on the fact we had no need to build and it was to rural and as there's no bus routes close we would rely on cars (we do anyway) the land wasnt empty as we have horses on the land so we have to go thier atleast twice a day but apparently living there would increase traffic! Down the same road theres a agrigate pit so there's traffic down all the time
Anyway someone helped us with applying again and told us to put in our business plan as they knew that we were hoping to make the land pay (break even but feed us) the planning has now said that they can't process the application until we have a report from an suitably qualified independent appraiser to state the need for a dwelling.
Has anyone done this and if so did it help and what kind of person or company would be suitable as I can only seem to find appraisers for exsisting company's
Many thanks for reading

You will be lucky to get any "expert " to make it stack up ,

Has it got an agricultural holding number ?
Rather than business case selling a few eggs , I've heard success stories for reasons such as someone needs to stay onsite to watch animals at lambing calving , foaling etc ,

It may be that you have mentioned business plan in submission but not provided them with it , so maybe if it's simply removed from application , consultant should know ??? But there are some idiots out there , because they can sharpen a pencil and draw a straight line doesn't make them an architect / planning consultant ,

 

[Grouse]

I know of several similar cases - given the size of your holding and that the business doesn’t yet exist you have no chance justifying it in Ag terms

The planners have seen it so many times usually typical town dwellers buying a few acres chasing the dream and wanting to put up a new house in the countryside.

The way planners and policy makers see it is that its hard enough for full time farmers getting a farm dwelling without others using it as half hearted justification.

For a start the business would need to be viable and given the small size of your holding that is extremely difficult - the dwelling would therefore need to form part of a much bigger proposal - e.g. intensive pig unit which could justify a worker being on site for welfare reasons.

The trouble then is that you will need Environmental Impact Statements, Noise Reports, Transport Statements, Odour Control Reports, Foul and Surface water Drainage Strategies = a very expensive exercise with no guarantee of success. Plus it is likely local residents and the Parish Council would object - they usually do.

 

[Steevo]

@GeorgieB82

 

[George from SJM Planning]

Long story short our local planning aren't helpful we applied for a small 3 bed bungalow on our 5 acres houses all around us so it's not that rural and local Tesco express in next village which is a 5 min drive and local school in less than that drive we were planning on having a small holding mainly for fun and to just be self sufficient and sell any surplus eggs etc they refused on the fact we had no need to build and it was to rural and as there's no bus routes close we would rely on cars (we do anyway) the land wasnt empty as we have horses on the land so we have to go thier atleast twice a day but apparently living there would increase traffic! Down the same road theres a agrigate pit so there's traffic down all the time
Anyway someone helped us with applying again and told us to put in our business plan as they knew that we were hoping to make the land pay (break even but feed us) the planning has now said that they can't process the application until we have a report from an suitably qualified independent appraiser to state the need for a dwelling.
Has anyone done this and if so did it help and what kind of person or company would be suitable as I can only seem to find appraisers for exsisting company's
Many thanks for reading

@GeorgieB82

Thanks for the tag @Steevo. The OP has subsequently PM'd me and I'll respond shortly but I agree with most of the comments above and in essence building a new dwelling in the countryside is going to be incredibly difficult based on what the OP has said. I should know this personally as I have been looking for the best part of 5 years for 3-7ac plot to build a house and have a smallholding but finding one that would satisfy national and local planking policy is almost impossible.

 

[franklin]

Let's be honest, there isn't an actual need for a dwelling on 5ac used for horses, fun and growing a bit of veg is there? Just drive from existing home.

 

[lim x]

Its applicants like this that have made it difficult for genuine farmers to gain planning who actually need to live on site.

 

[George from SJM Planning]

Its applicants like this that have made it difficult for genuine farmers to gain planning who actually need to live on site.

Every week on Facebook I see wanted ads for a 'little piece of paradise' or x number of acres to make my home'. Every single one of them wants a piece of land away from society where they can build a house, lodge or site a mobile home.

I feel like replying to every single one of them that it goes against the NPPF and most LDP's and whatever they build or site to live in will require planning permission which will in more than 90% of cases will be turned down.

An unnamed Planning Officer said to me recently that smallholders are becoming more of a problem than gypsys/travellers. The majority of travellers have now realised that 'pulling on' is going against them (with a view to long term occupation) and are even doing pre-app's with Local Authorities to identify suitable sites!
Smallholders on the other hand (I hate to tar all with the same brush as I have a small holding) feel that they can do as they like on their own land. Polytunnels, sheds, shepherd huts and even houses!