Outline planning - Tree report required for Privet bushes ?

[davidnow]

Hi,
I am thinking of applying for outline PP for a detached house in the garden of a property I own.

It is on a local authority estate up north and I guess the final 3 bed house maybe worth around 140k tops on completion , so only worth doing if the PP is reasonably straigtforward.

3 bed 1950s semis go for 100k as is, and 120k refurbished to decent standard.

I was thinking of selling with outline PP, rather than building myself.

Would 30k sound a sensible price for a plot for a 140k house ?

I've looked at the council's validation requirements, and other applications to this council and they include various reports

- Coal Mining Risk
I guess I'll probably need this but don't think they are too expensive

- Flood Risk
I have learned that the property is in Fkood Zone 1 , and reports are only normally asked for for developments in Zone 2 and 3 , so hopefully don't need one.

- Land Contamination Assesment
It seems all new dwellings require this.
Any ideas on cost of these ?

- Tree Survey and or statement of Arboricultural Implications of Development
This is required where a development site includes trees !!!

We are talking about a council estate , there are no TPOs anywhere near.
The site has no trees as such , but there is a privet bush around the perimeter ,. Is this likely to require any kind of report , and if so is it likely to cost a fortune ?

Any comments ?

Thanks

 

[Footsoldier888]

I would talk to an Estate Agent or Land Surveyor about it.

I think outline permission is almost as onerous as full pp but without the certainty of the latter.

You could get a valuation based on the full pp and then act accordingly.

 

[Footsoldier888]

I am sure it would be worth doing if there is separate access and the Highways Agency are happy.

You can always sell it as it but with an agreement you are paid X amount extra if and when the PP is secured.

 

[davidnow]

Thanks,
Yes, access should be ok, and the water company visited and gave me a letter saying they had no objections regarding sewers.

I may have prattled on too much in my original question.

What I was really interested to hear was views on the privet hedge, is that likely to require a tree survey and if so , what costs am i looking at
?

 

[freddiemercurystwin]

Probably no report required but you never can tell until the app is submitted, a fickle bunch that the planners are! Cost prolly wouldn't be much anyway.

 

[davidnow]

I was thinking of outline PP as I reckon I could do those drawings myself but would probably need some paid help to do full plans for a house.

I have submitted my own plans for an extension on another property recently and eventually got through validation but the planning officer kept suggesting I get them drawn professionally, and I kept updating my own drawings till he validated them.

 

[Footsoldier888]

The thing is outline PP isn't full planning permission and the land will be worth less.

I have read an artist's impression can be quite persuasive at planning meetings rather than a planning drawing which lacks perspective and artistic license.

I understand you want to keep costs down but you don't want to risk a refusal either.

You could maybe do a crash course on watercolours

 

[^woody^]

Is this the privet

 

[charliegolf]

No, that's a privvy!

 

[andymet87]

For outline permission you can reserve matters... the things you can "reserve" are:

• appearance - aspects of a building or place which affect the way it looks, including the exterior of the development
• means of access - covers accessibility for all routes to and within the site, as well as the way they link up to other roads and pathways outside the site
• landscaping - the improvement or protection of the amenities of the site and the area and the surrounding area, this could include planting trees or hedges as a screen
• layout - includes buildings, routes and open spaces within the development and the way they are laid out in relations to buildings and spaces outside the development
• scale - includes information on the size of the development, including the height, width and length of each proposed building

if you want to prepare a very simple application then you could apply for "outline planning permission with all matters reserved", however it would be best for you to at least have access and possibly layout included. For this you wouldn't necessarily need any elevations or floor plans - just a plan showing how the site would be laid out.

One thing for you to be wary of is that if this is going to be built next door to your house then you may want more control in how it will look/impact you in the long run. once it is sold you loose all control as there would be nothing stopping the new owner applying for a different property on the land. if this could be an issue you may be better off in the long run financing a build and then selling a finished property...

 

[Footsoldier888]

Some very good points there.

Perhaps the route taken might be influenced by the level of objection (if any) you are expecting to receive.

 

[andymet87]

Find yourself a local Planning Consultant - they'll be able to advise in full having been to your house.
Handy list to search can be found at https://www.rtpiconsultants.co.uk/

 

[davidnow]

Thanks for that.

Just to be clear, it isn't my home. I bought the existing property at auction to do up and sell on, with an eye on the garden as a potential plot.

The property is on a council estate where 90%+ of properties are 1950s semi detached houses.

Nice solid houses but of modest financial value.

I'd look for PP for a very similar look but obviously a detached.

I think I'd get permission, but just wondering if it is worth the cost given the relatively modest value of properties on the estate.

If the final property would be worth 200k I'd just get someone in to prepare full plans.

 

[andymet87]

If your relatively savvy then you should be able to secure planning permission for no more than the application fee of £385 - assuming that no reports are required as per your first post.

You should be able to draw the plans yourself, they don't have to be particularly detailed for planning. there are numerous free pieces of CAD software such as Google Sketchup that will assist you...

Go for it - if you're confident you'd get permission then for £400 it's worth it!

 

[Nakajo]

(google don't own sketchup anymore)