Increase house value by seeking plannning permission?

[john208]

I inherited my mothers house. Mainly for the purpose of inheritance tax I got the property valued. The house is number 9 though the neighbours house is number 13 which suggests the land includes a second plot. The house had an extension many years ago so I am not certain if there is room for another house though I suspect there is. The estate agent gave me a current market value for the house and land but said if I gained planning permission for another house it would be worth a lot more.
How do I seek planning permission for a hypothetical house? It's not like I am going to get one built myself and have plans etc. I would only want the permission to raise the value during the sale. What kind of route should I take? Thanks.

 

[freddiemercurystwin]

You need to get 'outline planning permission' for a house at least. You still need to submit a planning application and include some plans though they are less detailed, you are effectively just getting permission for the principal, it is then up to the new owner to submit another full application to get the actual house design approved. That said within your outline application you will still need to demonstrate what the proposed house footprint, shape, number of bedrooms and site access will be so you are not far off submitting a full application anyway.

You can do the drawings/application yourself if you are savvy about such things and are prepared to learn or you can employ someone to do it for you.

This all assumes you have the space of course.

 

[Nakajo]

Even with substantial matters reserved, Outline Planning applications presently require such extensive supporting information that there appears to be no merit in using them whatsoever.

Just submit a Planning Application. The process is fairly straightforward, and the guidance on the Government's Planning Portal site is not bad - as far as such things go.

If you think that you will struggle to submit the application yourself, or if the site is complicated in some way, ask a local architect or some such to help you.

 

[jeds]

Even with substantial matters reserved, Outline Planning applications presently require such extensive supporting information that there appears to be no merit in using them whatsoever.

Agree with that. The outline apps I've done over the last year or two were so similar to the full plans apps I can't see the point. Full planning is probably more desirable to buyers than outline.

 

[john208]

Thanks, you have all been very helpful.

 

[jvb]

If there is at least 5 metres between the side of the existing house and the plot boundary, yes there is space for an additional house.
It will be worth you employing an architect - they will have the experience to maximise the potential of the plot (and hence its value) -much more so than yourself or a 'plan drawer' could ever do.

 

[cjard]

It will be worth you employing an architect - they will have the experience to maximise the potential of the plot (and hence its value)

I'm not convinced. It's quite likely that a purchaser of a plot with FPP will want to build a different scheme rather than what is proscribed. Having any kind of PP on a plot boosts its value simply because it's an effective acknowledgement from the council that a plot is suitable for residential development

For these purposes OP, I'd suggest you can go for Outline Planning Permission to establish the necessary approval from the council that a house can be built there, and then let the purchaser instruct an archi-something to generate the scheme that they want. Going for outline PP will incur lower costs, and possibly a faster decision from the council. I find the claim that only an architect could maximise the worth of a plot of land with regards to a permitted scheme of development to be extremely tenuous

note: Currently it's likely that you'll have to entire into some kind of section 106 agreement with the council, though this is due to be dispensed with imminently. Some councils have already started accepting that they should no longer demand these contributions from small time developers but strictly speaking they can still insist on them. Might be better to wait until after April's statement from the govt before you apply for your PP, then you can get it and have a plot that is free from the encumbrance of having to declare "if you buy my plot then you'll have to pay thousands to the council to build a house on it" in the advert

jvb, we do welcome all sorts on the forum but as you might have found already, it's quite easy to ignite the architect vs architectural-technician fire with inferences along the lines drawn above. It would behove you to have the good grace to acknowledge the talents of related professionals rather than implying that they're universally limited to autocad grunt work..

 

[Nakajo]

It is entirely likely that a purchaser of a plot will want to build a different scheme from that consented.

Nevertheless, for the reasons I've outlined above, a full plans application should be submitted. An Outline Application is not what it sounds like.

[BTW 'proscribed' means forbidden]

 

[cjard]

Nevertheless, for the reasons I've outlined above, a full plans application should be submitted. An Outline Application is not what it sounds like.

Might have to agree to disagree on this one- having made both types of application, I'd go for OPP on a plot I was wanting to sell rather than FPP because I don't see the sense in spending the extra time and money on FPP when an OPP is capable of establishing that the council are happy for an X bedroom house to go there - let the buyer engage an archi-something, draw up the scheme of his dreams and start arguing with the LPA about what windows go where; senseless me paying good money to do that when it'll never get built

[PS; cheers - it was supposed to say prescribed but I guess the autocorrect had other ideas]

 

[freddiemercurystwin]

Nevertheless, for the reasons I've outlined above, a full plans application should be submitted. An Outline Application is not what it sounds like.

Might have to agree to disagree on this one- having made both types of application, I'd go for OPP on a plot I was wanting to sell rather than FPP because I don't see the sense in spending the extra time and money on FPP when an OPP is capable of establishing that the council are happy for an X bedroom house to go there - let the buyer engage an archi-something, draw up the scheme of his dreams and start arguing with the LPA about what windows go where; senseless me paying good money to do that when it'll never get built

[PS; cheers - it was supposed to say prescribed but I guess the autocorrect had other ideas]

Its not clear one way or the other, some will buy it and build what is approved, others will get it back in to planning to get a different house approved or faff about trying to get an extra bedroom or whatever. But considering the cost it does not take a whole lot more work to do full. You are widening your target buyers this way. If someone buys it and has a mortgage on it, they may not want to faff about for a couple of months with mortgage payments stacking up either. It certainly won't put anyone off. Speculate to accumulate and all that.

 

[Nakajo]

cjard, To be fair, I had forgotten that (fairly) recent legislation has effectively reversed the situation regarding what must be submitted with an Outline Planning Application.

Nevertheless, while Local Authorities cannot refuse to register an Outline Application (thus giving an applicant a right to appeal) they can declare themselves unable to determine one without details of reserved matters being provided. Under these circumstances, it seems to me that whatever extra time and whatever extra money is required to complete a full plans application, as against an Outline Application, must be trivial compared with the potential return on investment.

Obviously, if you were to engage a professional to assist in this task, their fee would be arranged on the basis that the work was speculative in nature.

If I was a buyer (dream), I would want some reassurance that the scheme submitted was at least feasible.

 

[cjard]

I agree, though to assert that the lpa will insist on details of all reserved matters disagrees with my recent direct experience. If they dîf come back and say "tell us everything" then you're making a fpp but the end cost to you is no different then. Because I find if unlikely they will ask for everything you're by default making a saving on pro fees, time and delays caused by the lpa. Opp confirms that the scheme is feasible because it verifies the broad terms that really lpa's should stick to in determining an application - "is an x bed house in this location in line with the current development policies?"

All the threads you see here on things like "ciuncil won't let me have a peaked roof on my porch", "lpa insist all my bedrooms are south fscing". and other inanity is from going outside if policy and getting overly emotionally involved in the design- soneyhjng they aren't supposed to do. Opp can didprmse with all that for the seller

 

[cjard]

Ps, so many people say yo me it's their dream to build a house. Im actually doing it and I think they must be mental. That's not to say I wouldn't do it again but if I knew then what I know now I might not have let there be a first..