Define Habitable

[Dextraneous]

I'm considering building a timber clad, insulated building at the bottom of my garden so my son can reside there (as he is 18 and needs his own space larger than the room he has in our house so he can bring back red hot totty at will ). Thus there will be a loo with shower, a basic kitchen (sink, microwave, toaster, kettle), a lifing room and a bedroom.

I suppose that this will fall into the realms of it being "habitable" which requires planning permission and building control. Is this unavoidable, or is there some way which I could stay within the law (mostly for when we sell up years down the line) and avoid the additional expense?

Or should I not be such a tight ar$e and just get on with it

Cheers

 

[Jackrae]

Basically you are looking at building another house - irrespective of what it's made from or its intended use within the family. Not much chance of getting approval then !

 

[^woody^]

The definition of habitable is normally borrowed from other legislation, and tends to mean being fit and having the facilities to live in. The actual use of the building and land is defined in the planning and building regulations

 

[Dextraneous]

Thanks fellas - pretty much as suspected but it was worth a punt on here on the vague offchance of saving a few bob.

Hmm, wonder what the regs are for putting a static caravan in the back garden

 

[^woody^]

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/art...26ft-mobile-caravan-home-cheap-extension.html

Saving a few bob, living accommodation, timber building, and pile of ashes after a fire, do not all sit well together

 

[tony1851]

Are you going to go up to the local planning department and say;

"excuse me chaps, I want to build a living/bedroom with bathroom facilitites in my back garden, for my son who wants to use it as his own accomodation"?

No; common sense dictates that you just put the building up without saying anything, and if the council did ask about it, you would say its for storing garden tools, bikes, camping equipment etc., ie 'incidental to the enjoyment of the dwellinghouse'.

 

[Dextraneous]

Saving a few bob, living accommodation, timber building, and pile of ashes after a fire, do not all sit well together

I don't know - it has a nice ring to it with the bonus of closure

Thanks again fellas. Food for thought.

 

[jeds]

If you have the space and it would be ancillary to the main house there is no reason why it would not be approved. I've had lots of these approved and can't recall a refusal. What you would apply for is a residential annex. The annex must be ancillary. That means it should share access and utilities with the main house. Providing it does you would have a very good chance of approval. The planners will add a condition that it cannot be separated from the main house.