Before Richard and Pamela Pearse obtained planning permission for their self build, they received some objections from neighbours relating to visibility and access. When a local officer came to inspect the site, he said he could find several existing houses nearby with similar or worse concerns. In the end, the Pearses presented their case at a planning committee meeting and the panel voted in their favour
Access is one of those essential considerations for self builders that’s hard to get excited about – a bit like drainage. When you’re looking at a plot to buy or a building to convert, there are two very different aspects of this topic to consider. The first of these is the legal right to gain entry to your site, while the second is the adequacy of the approach, both in practical terms and with regards to highway safety. Both are of fundamental importance. The former makes certain that you can actually get to your plot and the latter ensures you can gain planning permission to build what you want on it.
Rights of access