Meaningful start to continue planning permission question.

[Mottie]

As above. I have planning permission to build a house on an end of terrace plot. I own a workshop on the plot. I may still be using the workshop when the planning permission expires in 2020 so looking to secure a start to the build without demolishing my workshop to maintain the planning permission. The current end of terrace house has a hip roof and as part of the deal to build onto their flank wall, I will be building a firewall as my house incorporates a bedroom in the loft. My neighbour will be gaining a loft big enough to do a loft conversion after the build. The picture explains all - the red diagonal line is the existing roof line.



My question is, would building the firewall and giving my neighbour the loft constitute a 'meaningful start' to the build? That has to be done anyway so not really an extra expense.

 

[Nakajo]

See. That's a really good question. And while I want to say 'yes', I can see why it might not be construed that way by the LPA.

 

[Mottie]

Yet for some reason you don’t want to say why. Never mind, someone else may come along and give a really good answer to my really good question.

 

[Keithmac]

Do you not have to have the foundations in to constitute start of building works?.

 

[Mottie]

Possibly. The footprint of the house is the same as the single level, single skin workshop and the footings are just for that. Well, saying that, three of the walls are but the plans extend further back so I could make foundations in the green area of the attached picture without affecting the workshop operation. Maybe those partial foundations would constitute a start?
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[^woody^]

Giving someone something is not "development" and not a start of the significant building operations. You need to have some significant building or engineering work done to count, and not partially but fully.

 

[Mottie]

Looks like it might be better to take a chance and reapply if pp expires before work can commence. Probably would be granted again as the area is on the way up and most commercial properties have sold up, moved out and been turned into housing. Workshops are not generally wanted in residential areas these days.

 

[RichA]

You can reapply after 2.5 yrs. if you get it then all’s good, if not, crack on with the prior approval before expiry of 3yrs.

 

[lt8480]

You can reapply after 2.5 yrs. if you get it then all’s good, if not, crack on with the prior approval before expiry of 3yrs.

This is generally the best strategy. Unless policy has changed they should approve. It will then give you another 3 years from the approval date and avoid any risk of questioning.

Did the planning application boundary line include the neighbours property and did you serve notice on them that you were proposing works to their property. Or were the hip to gable works proposed under PD, or are they approved under a separate application? - If these works are not if your application they wouldn't count as a start.

If the works are within the application formally they doing them would probably count as a start. There will be some extra cost is splitting the works rather than building in one operation. You will also need to consider Party Wall costs etc., however if sounds like you may have already made a formal agreement on this for the roof works.