Hello

[LSL]

I've just joined this forum after getting the name from a FB group post.

I'm Jill and my husband and I are just starting on a barn conversion.

This is going to be a real self-build, probably taking many years as time allows.

Luckily we live in the house and owned the barn pre planning.

 

Glad to meet you all.

Jill

 

[Bitpipe]

Welcome! Where in the country are you and what are your plans for the barn? Tell us more

 

[LSL]

I'm in East Suffolk.

The barn is at the top of our land and is approx 260m2.  It is, and must remain, single story.  It is block with a metal roof, pretty ugly at the moment ?, but we plan to make it pretty.

It took us 3 attempts to get planning, but apart from some conditions pre commencement that is sorted.

As the place was a pig farm we have to have a phase 2 contamination survey, which because of gas monitoring will take at least 3 months.

So, we are planning to really start next year to avoid booking anything.

 

[Jilly]

Welcome, you must be my alter ego! I'm finding conversion more expensive than new build. Everyone on here told me to try for demolition and rebuild like for like, due to site difficulties, but as we are in a conservation area, it was 'against policy'. 

[joe90]

Hello and welcome, looking forward to more info and many questions, a real helpful bunch here.

[LSL]

Ideally we would have liked to demolish and rebuild, but due to it being in the countryside and East Suffolk LPA having plenty of housing sites we were told No, No, No way.  Someone near here 'accidentally' destroyed their barn, and their planning was removed as they didn't have a barn to even convert.
So, I think I'm going to play safe even though, as you say it will be more time consuming and more expensive.

 

[joe90]

2 hours ago, LSL said:

East Suffolk LPA having plenty of housing sites we were told No, No, No way. 

Thats mad, a nationwide shortage of housing, replacing an existing house with one much better with higher levels of insulation etc??...

[LSL]

That's planning restrictions for you.   Apparently the LPA have building site supplies for the next 12 years so they are not allowing any new builds outside of village boundaries.

I watch the planning apps every week and track new self build applications and at least half of them are refused.

Once person did get conversion planning and submitted plans for a new house, was refused and appealed and won, but that took ages and cost lots.

[Carrerahill]

On 16/07/2020 at 17:31, Jilly said:

...as we are in a conservation area, it was 'against policy'. 

Developers never seem to have this issue which is galling!

 

 

Edited July 22, 2020 by Carrerahill

[joe90]

28 minutes ago, Carrerahill said:

it was 'against policy'. 

When I appealed our planning refusal not only did we win but the Secretary of State officer told the LPA they were not following their own policies!!!. Go figure.

[Carrerahill]

1 hour ago, joe90 said:

When I appealed our planning refusal not only did we win but the Secretary of State officer told the LPA they were not following their own policies!!!. Go figure.

Madness!