Planning consultant - South Northants

[whitevanman]

Good evening,

 

Just wondering is anyone can recommend a planning consultant in the South Northants area? Pre-application looks agreeable if the agricultural buildings we are looking to buy are structurally suitable for conversion. However my relatively untrained assessment is that they mostly need pulling down, materials salvaging and re-building. Its not clear if this is acceptable under the local planning policy.

 

Thanks

 

Mark

[Temp]

My understanding  is the planning rules are different.

 

A class Q "Prior Approval" application to convert agricultural buildings cannot be refused by the planners if it complies with the rules (eg must be capable of being converted) so of course the pre app would be favourable (they don't really have much choice). Just be sure there is evidence of agri use. Some people have had refusals because the buildings were used to store old cars in or rented out for storage. That means they aren't agricultural buildings anymore so may not qualify for class Q.

 

The approach some councils take is very different to others. In some areas an appication to demolish and rebuild might be treated like a new house in the countryside and refused. 

 

So the issue of structural suitability and evidence of current use might be key. You might consider making the purchase conditional on getting PP one way or the other.

Edited April 1, 2021 by Temp

[whitevanman]

Thanks for the reply. Its full permission we'd be going for, not class Q. There is a condition in the local planning policy the the buildings have to be structurally suitable for conversion. i.e not derelict. However, parts of the building need pulling down in my opinion so trying to work out where I stand.

 

Thanks

 

Mark

[Temp]

If its only a few areas that need rebuilding you can try spelling out what you propose in the planning application. Call it a conversion but make it clear somewhere in the Design and Access document the parts that will need rebuilding. If most of it needs rebuilding you will need to apply for a knock down and rebuild. Perhaps go for the former and let the planning officer decide if it needs to be considered a knock down and rebuild.

[Jilly]

Take advice on this, as I've seen conversions which are like Trigger's Broom, and my understanding is that it must not ever come down all at once, so support up and replace, is OK, reusing what you can. I would say don't ask the planners tho', ask a consultant. Also get an architect experienced in this area as not all are familiar. 

[GaryM]

Hi,

 

The architect we used worked very well with south northants, we got planning permission on a building that pushed their boundaries.

 

I'm very happy to recommend him:

 

Jonathon Williams

 

Architect, Sketchproposal Limited

 

T: (+44) 01604 871245

M: 0772 487 9060 mail@sketchproposal.com www.sketchproposal.com

 

[whitevanman]

@temp, thanks for the advice. If a conversion means leaving a few walls standing then there may be a wam

 

@GaryM, thanks for the recommendation, I will definitely look him up

 

Mark