Garage Conversion

[James Baird]

We have an integrated garage which the previous owner part converted 8 years ago. The front 1m depth of the garage is in its original state with a garage door, and this is used for storing bikes etc, behind this is the converted room. This work was signed off and certified by building control at the time.

I was looking to convert the remaining front 1m section and brick up the garage door and insert a window, so I contacted the council. I was told there was a condition that stated the garage has to be used as a garage, and that whilst the work was signed off, it required planning permission. The 10yr rule and not the 4yr rule is applicable, so they could turn around to enforce this, or even force me to revert to original garage.

I was also told that another potential issue with getting permission was that I'd need to find an additional car parking space, as converting the garage would effectively mean losing one. Currently I have space for 2 cars on the driveway, so finding a 3rd space would be a problem (we only have 2 cars). Apparently the conversion would also mean that it would be classed as a 4th bedroom (I'd use it as an office), which is another reason for needing 3 car spaces.

 

It appears the garage was 4.9m x 2.9m, so not sure whether that would have been classed as 1 space or even 0.5, so possibly an argument for not needing to find a 3rd space?

Do I apply for full planning permission now or wait until the 10yr limit has come up? I'm assuming there wouldn't be anything stopping me from doing the work mentioned above after 10yrs, as technically it's no longer a garage. There is also the issue about parking if I do apply for planning permission.

Thanks for your advice.

[Ferdinand]

Welcome.

 

The only 2 angles of attack I can see there are, as you say, to wait, or to explore whether that 4th bedroom assumption by the Planners is actually tenable. Or perhaps to enquire whether it would be passed.

 

It may pay to check the planning history of similar conversions in your immediate vicinity.

 

Reflecting, waiting might not work - might you still need PP to convert your short garage? It is only the existing change that becomes 'unenforcable against'. 

 

Or knock 2 of your other bedrooms together, which might not be the correct idea .

 

 

Edited March 31, 2020 by Ferdinand

[Mike]

You may find that the situation is worse; if the conversion is deemed to have been concealed - and leaving the garage door in place might suggest that that was the intention - then the 10 years wouldn't have started - see here. I wonder how that got missed in the conveyancing...

 

Are you sure that you can't find space for a 3rd parking space?

[Gone West]

45 minutes ago, Mike said:

Are you sure that you can't find space for a 3rd parking space?

What like the car stacker used in the last Grand Design Australia.

[bassanclan]

Have a read of the local plan. Usually the council have a stipulation of a MAXIMUM number of parking spaces.

[James Baird]

Thanks for the replies.

 

When buying the property the conversion was raised, however the previous owner produced the building control signoff/certificate, so I can only assume no one checked or believed planning was required.

 

As for concealment, I guess going down the building control route with the council to see the work could be used to demonstrate concealment was not the aim.

 

Regarding parking, we live in a cul-de-sac which isn't maintained by the council (stated in the deeds). I also own the land in front of my driveway which gives me enough space to park a 3rd car across the front of my cars on the driveway. This also allows enough space (another car width further in front) to get past. Would the highway authority get involved in this scenario for a 3rd space?

[SiBee]

This needs planning permission? That’s interesting. I live in the NW on a new (ish) development and this conversion is a common sight on the estate and not one has planning. Well we never received a letter, no notices displayed and nothing on the council portal. We have 10 houses on our cul de sac, I think and two have converted their integral garage into play rooms with in the last year or so.

Next door to me left his garage door on and 1m of garage as storage.The rest of the space was converted into extra space in the kitchen for dogs. No PP for this either. I presumed this simple work didn’t require it!

[Mike]

3 hours ago, SiBee said:

This needs planning permission?

No, mostly it doesn't - but an earlier planning permission (for the original house, maybe for an extension) may have been granted subject to a condition that the garage can only be used as a garage, as is the case here. In some areas it seems to be routinely applied to all new houses. In which case a subsequent planning permission application is required for conversion.

 

Parking requirements do change, so if council policy now requires fewer spaces than they did when the condition was imposed, then I would imagine that it would go through. As @bassanclan says, in some places policy has completely reversed, limiting the number of parking places, rather than requiring a minimum number, to encourage the use of public transport.

[Mike]

4 hours ago, James Baird said:

I also own the land in front of my driveway which gives me enough space to park a 3rd car across the front of my cars on the driveway. This also allows enough space (another car width further in front) to get past.

Not sure that the Highway Authority would take an interest if it's private, but it may be enough to satisfy the planners, if there is little traffic. I once successfully argued that abundant on-street parking adjacent to a house meant that it was unnecessary to require the additional private space that their policy normally required.

[Temp]

14 hours ago, James Baird said:

I was also told that another potential issue with getting permission was that I'd need to find an additional car parking space, as converting the garage would effectively mean losing one.

 

First thing to do is find the original planing permission for the house. Check the exact wording of the condition and how many parking spaces are required. It might be they only ever required two including the garage. 

 

 

 

 

[joe90]

Interesting that the previous sign off allowed 1 meter of garage as a parking space???