Distance between neighbouring property, help!!

[DanielAllen]

8 minutes ago, ProDave said:

That's a good point about it being a "caravan"

 

Apply for a certificate of lawful development for a residential caravan, and I believe then you can then  replace it with any other caravan without further permission or even building regs.

 

I am not suggesting you buy another caravan, but that you build a new well insulated building that is capable of being moved and fits the definition of a "caravan" and for that it does NOT need to be on wheels.

 

Something to keep in mind but we wouldn't ever want to live in a caravan or anything similar. If this plot doesn't happen we will most likely buy a normal house

[IanR]

8 minutes ago, DanielAllen said:

The existing use was cited as "C3 Dwelling House; existing derelict/disused caravan house" on our application. 

 

Cited by you, but have the Council acknowledge that?

 

I feel they are looking at this as a New Build, within the garden of your grand mother's Bungalow, so following their local rules for minimum spacing.

 

If the existing caravan and sheds does not have planning permission you can't use it to justify breaking those local rules.

 

You may need to make the existing "dwelling" lawful first, which may be difficult.

Edited June 25, 2021 by IanR

[Temp]

10 hours ago, DanielAllen said:

 

I think I would edit this picture to insert your house to scale. 

[ProDave]

Another potential problem I see is the new house would have little or no garden.

 

The "caravan" idea might solve all this and allow you more freedom.  I would tidy up what is there and make it look habitable and get an application for a certificate of lawful development to get it's status as an existing residential caravan recognised.  That at least puts you on a better footing going forwards.

 

Do some research on "portable buildings"  It is quite possible to build a very nice very well insulated comfortable dwelling that fits the definition of a "caravan"  There was one on Grand Designs some time back, it went right to the size limit for a "caravan" at just over 100 square metres.  To qualify as a "caravan" it must be possible to split the building into managable parts and transport it, and that can include lifting by crane onto a low loader.  There are a few on here who have built such "caravans"  Buildingit to fit the definition of a caravan does not mean it has to look like a flimsy poorly insulated caravan on wheels.

[IanR]

 

1 hour ago, ProDave said:

I would tidy up what is there and make it look habitable and get an application for a certificate of lawful development to get it's status as an existing residential caravan recognised.  That at least puts you on a better footing going forwards.

 

I fear that will be a difficult ask if the terms "existing derelict/disused" have been used to describe the original building within the application for the new:

 

2 hours ago, DanielAllen said:

The existing use was cited as "C3 Dwelling House; existing derelict/disused caravan house" on our application.

 

It may well amount to abandonment.

 

To apply for a Certificate of Lawful Existing Use or Development, the Use needs to be existing at the time of the application (although it can be dormant). It's likely it was previously immune from enforcement, but is its Use now "dormant", so still immune; or "abandoned", so no longer immune? Needs a knowledgeable planning consultant to go through the history.

 

The additional structures around the caravan can't be considered as transportable, so the Use that may have been lawful would be as a permanent dwelling-house. To get that accepted as its lawful Use by the LPA would put the proposal for a replacement dwelling on a lot firmer ground.

Edited June 25, 2021 by IanR

[ProDave]

Sadly this would have been good to discuss before the planning application and I am sure we all would have advised against describing it as derelict or disused.

[DanielAllen]

Thanks for the replies everyone, it's been a great help!

 

I was probably quite naive in thinking it would go through fairly easily given what is currently there now looks horrendous. Plus the local authority's need for affordable housing in the area! Im a newcomer to the whole self-build area and don't even own my own home yet, definitely should have sought some professional advice prior.

 

I am now in talks with a local planning consultant that used to work at our council as well so very familiar with policies and hopefully a way around it