Enforcement threatened

[MiddleOfNowhere]

Post removed as no useful advice. Will seek a consultant as suggested.

 

[pilsbury]

Hmmm.... seems you’ve shot yourself in the foot. They’d have known nothing about it till you invited the planning officer round. If you’ve got a time machine, rewind till just before you invited her. In fact do me a favour and rewind till just before I asked my wife to marry me.

 

[^woody^]

Isn't there a saying about not inviting the Devil, Vampires or Planners into your home?

Anyway, now you need to invite a local experienced planning consultant in to advise you.

 

[Ian H]

What was the original post saying?

 

[MiddleOfNowhere]

Hi, we did some permitted domestic development, converting a garage. Invited planning to give an opinion on something unrelated, now they're throwing the book at us saying it's agricultural which we didn't know (property hasn't been that for 50 years) and threatening enforcement, saying retrospective will be refused (strict guidelines) and we will need to revert it to agricultural - can't even use for a domestic shed. Seems i shot myself in the foot These people will take action because they can not because it's in public interest or anything else. Lesson learnt. I don't want to leave details here though unless i get some useful feedback because every chance they'll see it.

 

[JP_]

That sucks. Even if agricultural, most farms need to diversify to survive, although I guess that if you're there, that's evidence diversification still didn't help them survive.

 

[JP_]

is this of any use?
https://www.designingbuildings.co.u...r_the_change_of_use_of_agricultural_buildings

your local planning department sound a bit harsh.

"In March 2018, changes to permitted development rights were announced that provide rural communities with more options to convert agricultural buildings into family homes. The maximum new homes capable of being created from existing agricultural buildings on a farm will increase from three to five. This will allow for:

• Up to 3 larger homes within a maximum of 465 sq. m.
• Up to 5 smaller homes, each no larger than 100 sq. m.
• Combination of both above options - no more than 5 homes (no more than 3 being larger homes)."

Sounds like you were well within your rights - unless PD rights had been revoked, but if that's the case, it should say on the property deeds.

 

[MiddleOfNowhere]

Thanks for the above. We would have the PD rights but the council's guidelines on it are very strict. We have converted sympathetically but for stables they don't permit velux, oak folding patio doors, windows where there were none, and where stable doors are removed for windows, they have to be a certain style & shutters must be put in place that look like the doors, etc. - what we have done won't meet their standards and would be refused on retrospective application

 

[Nakajo]

I would go to a planning lawyer rather than a consultant.