LAND WITHOUT PLANNING CONSENT
ECOLOGY ON-SITE
IF IN DOUBT HAVE A PRE-APP
TOP TIP
PROTECTED FLORA AND FAUNA
Failure to win planning consent is one of the most common setbacks leading to promising pieces of land failing to become building plots, so it’s worth hedging your bets. Make no mistake, buying land without planning approval is risky, as there’s no certainty you’ll get permission for what you want to build. However, that doesn’t mean you should simply walk away. Rather, my overriding advice on this topic is that you should never buy a plot without consent when you could secure an option to purchase instead. This will allow you to get an approval in place before handing over your money.
The self-builders behind our on-site article (page 86) are on course to build a spacious oak frame home for their family near Bristol. The derelict house that previously stood on the plot had a roost of bats so, following an ecology survey, they were required to provide provision for bats on site; all bats are designated as a protected species. The space above their new garage (pictured) will now accommodate the couple’s so-called bat ‘hotel’.
Planning professionals are experts at what they do, so they don’t usually need the view of a local authority to know whether a plot is developable or not. That said, some plots are more complicated than others. If you’re trying to push the boundaries, it may be worth explaining your plans to the local authority before committing to buy. A pre-app meeting is the mechanism to do this. For a fee, a local authority planning officer will review your plans and offer a considered view about whether it will get approved and what should be changed to boost its chances. Be warned however, preapps are not binding on the local authority — don’t hang all your hopes on what is said.
Planning professionals are usually members of the Royal Town Planning Institute (RTPI), so to find one you can just visit the RTPI website and search for members in your area. Larger architectural practices and package companies often have their own embedded planning professionals, so that’s another avenue to explore.
• bats, all species