Planning permission on agricultural land

[Deleted 164759]

Hi all,

I'm new to this and don't have much of an idea about anything building wise so I was wondering if anyone could help me. Sorry in advance for the long message, just want to make sure my point is clear!

I am considering applying for planning permission on agricultural land currently belonging to an elderly relative. We were hoping to build a 3 bed bungalow, very modest and in-keeping with the area on a small patch of land opposite her farm. We want to do this so that she doesn't have to sell the farm, the estate is then kept in the family, we move in to the bungalow near to her to help her with the estate and help her as she grows older. She cannot sell the farm because other members of the family plan to take over the estate when she is not around anymore, so basically we're in a position where it's either she lives there alone, very cut off from the family, or we move to her. The last house to be built in a radius of 2m of where we want to build was probably about 80 years ago.

So, I was wondering how likely it is to get planning permission? (from what I've read, VERY unlikely) But, the whole point of refusing planning permission is conservation, surely the local council can see that by granting permission they would be conserving a traditional Welsh family, moving back to their routes (generations of my family have lived in the surrounding area for centuries), making sure the land is well kept? We would love to buy a house in the area but prices are extortionate and are only really available to city-dwellers who want a country home rather than modest families who want to return to their routes.

My point is, if this is made clear to the council, maybe through a planning officer, is there a slight chance that it would be granted?

Any tips or hints would be much appreciated.

Rebecca.

 

[big-all]

no expert but only accommodation required for full time farm workers is ever allowed
does anybody live elsewhere that works full time on the farm ??
i could be completely wrong though

 

[Deleted 164759]

Well currently it's not a working farm. It's a farmhouse, with a lot of land that we rent out to other members of the family in surrounding areas but my grandmother doesn't own or keep any farm animals so nobody actually works full time on the land but it still needs to be kept (accounts managed etc. for renting).

 

[jeds]

There are certain allowances for agricultural buildings but this does not include dwellings. Planners will sometimes allow a dwelling on agri land but as big-all says occupation would be restricted to agricultural workers. In other words you'd never be able to sell it on the open market. In any case, since the land is not currently being worked, the chances of achieving this would be about zero.

So you are probably going to be limited to some form of aggrilcultural shed or something. And even then you'd have to show there was some agricultrual need for it. Which there doesn't appear to be.

 

[Deleted 164759]

Thank you both for your contribution. After researching into it a little we've decided not to apply for planning permission on that land. Seems a waste of money when so many people have told us the chances of permission being granted is so slim!


R.

 

[DevilDamo]

Even though you have already decided to not proceed with a full planning application, there's no reason why you cannot submit plans/details in the form of a pre-application enquiry, in which a planning officer will provide their opinion on the development and in relation to the current policies.