Back Garden New Build Planning

[Spyne]

Starting from scratch, new build.

Advice please from a forum newbie, I haverebuilt houses previously but have always handed over planning to a professional, now wondered if I could do a new build planning application myself, minus the technical plan drawing.

It’s a tandem build, for a SIPS new build in 30m x 17m of our back garden and the neighbour has offered a 300sqm part of their garden if I want to buy it (I had thought about 2 houses, but planning for one seems difficult enough!).  Our drive is 4m wide, just. No dwelling within 5m on closest neighbour’s side, just their garage.

We want to build a modest 2 bed bungalow with floor area of appx 100sqm. Did a preapp myself and although they did not say outright ‘no’ they did raise plenty of issues, including highways (its not a busy road and there would be no rise in vehicle use as our kids have left home so we are 4 cars down to 1) , overlooking (it will be a bungalow not nearer than 8m to nearest house and 20m from all others) and the conforming with surrounding buildings, which I agree with them on, and will change).

Am I wasting my time and money, courting failure if I try to do the planning application myself or should I just get a pro involved right now? If I tried to do the planning application myself is an Outline Application the way to go now, or just a full application. Any advice, warnings etc appreciated.

[nod]

I’m in the process of purchasing our next plots 

We intend to do the design and submissions ourself 

Lots of online designs to work around 

You could pay £500 and get your planing in principle 

This involves a sketch of where the houses will be and access 

 

[Spyne]

Preplanning, Outline , Planning in principle (which must be new?) and full planning.  I guess the added complications do help nudge

prospective self builders towards using a professional planning advisor.   I like your idea of sourcing plans which which already exist, rather than starting from scratch.

Our main complication would be whther they accept the 4m access down the side of our house, which would involve changing a living room window so that it offered more privacy, not that a single home owner would cause too much rise in traffic!

[Ferdinand]

It's up to you, based on what your abiilities are and perhaps  more importantly where you want to put your personal effort to add value and quality.

 

If you have done it before one option is to use one of the previous architects who does not hate you now (?) in a capacity as a paid-for-time consultant or "lunch out at the pub" mentor. I have a retired friend previously employed as an architect by my dad in the early 1970s who is willing to answer questions, give feedback, or do small reports etc on that type of basis as and when.

 

There are plenty of free or cheap packages available for you to do the design side.

 

I think plenty on here have done it ... try the blogs.

 

I would suggest reading the Jeremy Harris blog, as I think he documented vicissitudes of the process side of things in most detail

http://www.mayfly.eu/ . He is rather an unusually resourceful person, though - and currently not around on BH.

 

I like to do everything myself once, so I understand it for next time.

 

Ferdinand

Edited September 2, 2020 by Ferdinand

[Mr Punter]

4m should be acceptable as access.  They may require a turning head at the top.  It is probably worth including for large vans / deliveries.  A 100m2 bungalow should be non-controversial.  You could get an architectural technologist to do the drawings.

[Ferdinand]

And welcome.

[Spyne]

Thanks for your replies, and some insightful sanity.   I have almost mastered Sketch Up but not to an technical drawing specs, but at least can scale sketches and ideas.

So as a comment mentioned I could look for an architectural technologist to do some initial plans.  Just got to convince the planners to let me do it and get it past the neighbours.......

 

[Jilly]

Neighbours are really important. Listen to any worries they might have and addressing them will make your life easier. 

[ToughButterCup]

Change word from @Jillys post ...

Really to Ideally 

and I would agree completely.

 

Neighbours must confine their remarks to material considerations . More often than not they don't. Lots on here about that particular sport....

[Big Jimbo]

2 hours ago, Jilly said:

Neighbours are really important. Listen to any worries they might have and addressing them will make your life easier. 

Or have them "Removed "

[Temp]

Are there other houses set back from the road? In some cases the planners are wary about such "backland" development.

 

[Spyne]

6 hours ago, Temp said:

Are there other houses set back from the road? In some cases the planners are wary about such "backland" development.

 

My neighbours house is exactly the same, his was built as a tandem plot development, but some 20 years ago.  In my preplanning application the response did mention that previous local use of this type did not guarantee the policy would favour it now.   This is the same neigghbour who keeps wanting to rip out our mature damsen/blackthorn/hawthorn hedges, the same ones that the  planning response did mention are to be considered as important to keep (which I agree with!). To everybody that messaged on this topic, thanks for your advice, I take it all on board.

[Ferdinand]

10 hours ago, Spyne said:

My neighbours house is exactly the same, his was built as a tandem plot development, but some 20 years ago.  In my preplanning application the response did mention that previous local use of this type did not guarantee the policy would favour it now.   This is the same neigghbour who keeps wanting to rip out our mature damsen/blackthorn/hawthorn hedges, the same ones that the  planning response did mention are to be considered as important to keep (which I agree with!). To everybody that messaged on this topic, thanks for your advice, I take it all on board.

 

Backlands development is a big red flag in a *lot* of places.

 

The impression I have is that bungalows are favoured, and multiple houses in a cul-de-sac may be more favoured than singles as they are a windfall site for the LA.

 

 But it is often different in each locality. So I would do what homework you can first, starting on the Council website with what has succeeded in the past.

 

F

Edited September 3, 2020 by Ferdinand