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We have one of those maddening, tightrope-like conundrums where there is no easy answer, so this thread I guess would ideally be a poll of sorts. basically we have PP to demolish 2 outbuildings and build a large home office in their place. We also have full PD rights. our planning strategy (over time) HAD been as follows: Home Gym > Change of Use to Granny Annexe (under PD, with Cert of Lawfulness) > Change of Use to Separate Dwelling (PP app) however, we are now staring down the barrel of the c. £25k VAT bill on assembling the "home office" structure, which of course could be avoided if this were constructed as a full separate dwelling from the outset As I see it we have 3 options: stick to the "softly softly or lily pad" planning strategy and simply suck up the £25k VAT bill in the spirit of strengthening our planning position over time blow our cover with the council and steam ahead with a full "separate dwelling" app, putting all building works on hold (of course this app may be approved, rejected, approved at appeal or rejected at appeal) persuade our builders to post-date the invoices, start both building and the separate dwelling planning app simultaneously, and then (hopefully) the timing works out whereby we're granted approval and the structure is well on its way to being finished If anybody else has other ideas for a way round this I would love to hear them. And also would love to hear which option you would take. Clearly the problem here is that this isn't £5k, or even £10k....it's £25k. And also we will lose our slot with some very good builders if we delay.

For anyone that may find it useful here is the vat certificate that HMRC pointed me at on their website. I have attached as a pdf as forum will not allow editable word.doc to be uploaded If you have contractor that is being sticky about zero rating you just give them this cert (completed with relevant details) and pay them net of vat. The cert covers their back with HMRC and doing it this way has worked for me in several cases. blank proforma vat cert .pdf