Self build with narrow access issues

[AshandOak]

I'm only building one new house for my family. I'm not building to develop because the site certainly has potential but that's not my intent. The bungalow will either be lived in by an elderly relative or sold to pay for the new house because the build cost may exceed predictions. 

[Ferdinand]

45 minutes ago, AshandOak said:

I'm only building one new house for my family. I'm not building to develop because the site certainly has potential but that's not my intent. The bungalow will either be lived in by an elderly relative or sold to pay for the new house because the build cost may exceed predictions. 

 

I think I would like to say a couple of things there. For long term considerations.

 

1 - I think your driveway width may be your most significant hard policy constraint.

 

2 - Is there a danger that the Council will just say "Backlands Development", and kick it out on its ear? That could be a policy question, but also depend on how tightly the particular Councils stick to that policy. Potentially a very important issue. Needs to be resolved, as you know.

 

3 - Even were I planning only to build one, I would form my plans to leave space such that another could be added later - either as an annexe or a separate dwelling (or an annexe that could be converted later). There are imo 2 reasons for doing that:

 

a - Financial future.

 

If your pension evaporates, as a chunk of mine did at one point, you have a possible remedy. Having something that can give you a boost of 10s of k could be a strong item of buried treasure should you need it. if someone needs somewhere to live, you have something which can be potentially utiliised.

 

b - If it helps you get PP.

 

If the Council write it off as backlands, then putting an extra property or two on there (which you don't necessarily have to build - though there may be other considerations for demonstaarting completion for VAT etc) may put it into a different category in Planning eyes, and help you (eg a minor development or cul-de-sac). In that case your entrance width will matter - but matter somewhat differently in every place.

 

It is all a balance, but I thought that deserved a mention.

 

Ferdinand

 

 

 

Edited April 11, 2020 by Ferdinand

[AshandOak]

Appreciate your considered response Ferdinand. I would love to build a second there as our retirement property and sell the (hopefully mortgage free) main house at a later date.

 

The council has form for approving backland developments of single houses (1 in our village last year and one 7 years ago - none refused those are the only ones applied for) and also small backland developments elsewhere in the borough. 

 

We're currently waiting for pre application advice based on a 2.7m access but asking the question would it need to be wider e.g 3.2m? 

 

If we won the lottery we would knock the bungalow down but there are always compromises with a self build and that would need to be ours. I'm erring more to take off 0.5m of the bungalow because of 'normal' access like supermarket deliveries and washing machine/furniture deliveries etc. 

[Ferdinand]

3 minutes ago, AshandOak said:

Appreciate your considered response Ferdinand. I would love to build a second there as our retirement property and sell the (hopefully mortgage free) main house at a later date.

 

The council has form for approving backland developments of single houses (1 in our village last year and one 7 years ago - none refused those are the only ones applied for) and also small backland developments elsewhere in the borough. 

 

We're currently waiting for pre application advice based on a 2.7m access but asking the question would it need to be wider e.g 3.2m? 

 

If we won the lottery we would knock the bungalow down but there are always compromises with a self build and that would need to be ours. I'm erring more to take off 0.5m of the bungalow because of 'normal' access like supermarket deliveries and washing machine/furniture deliveries etc. 

 

I don't  know the answer to that without researching it, I am afraid.

[AshandOak]

8 hours ago, Ferdinand said:

 

I don't  know the answer to that without researching it, I am afraid.

That's one of the questions we're asking the pre application planning officer. 

[AshandOak]

The response from the pre app was that in our area 3m is the minimum width of access permitted.