How can we amend planning and how secretive are DanWood (others are available)

[scoobydo]

Hi folks

We had planning granted in 2020 yes, the covid year, and made the 'significant start' as required by the council planners so the garage is built and keeping ths permission live.

Originally our architect designed a very nice bungalow, but as time has gone on we realise we don't need such a large bungalow and we are getting less able to do much of the build ourselves, so........

We looked at the very favourable Dan Wood turnkey option.  I have several questions which I hope someone here may have already experienced and overcome.

1. The Dan Wood bungalow we like is smaller than we have planning granted for. Is this going to be a problem with the council? We want to try to do it as an amendment as spent too many thousands getting the original planning to srart again. What is the likelyhood?

2. How precious are Dan Wood about an architect of our choosing having access to their drawings?

3. Are Dan Wood forthcoming with sharing their needs with our structural engineer?

Are Dan Wood forthcoming about any outside 'interference '?

I can hear the chorus of 'why not ask Dan Wood',.  but I feel they may just say of course they are very accommodating!

Thanks in anticipation 

[JohnMo]

15 minutes ago, scoobydo said:

planning granted in 2020

Nothing like like having a good think about it.

 

1. Smaller maybe not, but if visually different you may need amendments or new planning.

2. Most are, but if you are uses your structural engineer they will need to handover.

3.?

Interference not sure what you mean.

 

Suspect these companies if you choose a plan that already exists they will not let you interfere much apart from some finishing details.

[DownSouth]

Curious to know why if it is a turnkey option you need an architect? Don’t Dan Wood offer planning permission support and adaptation of their designs as part of their service?

Edited Monday at 18:38 by DownSouth

[kandgmitchell]

Well we got planning ourselves for a design based losely on a DanWood design we had liked when looking for inspiration. When we decided to approach DanWood we found them quite open to looking at what they could do. They made some changes in order to accomodate their "system", the major one being taking out large glazed areas so that they could use standard (from a very wide range to be fair) pvc-u doors and windows (high quality though), ally are available but much more expensive.

 

Once we decided to use them and paid a deposit, their local architect took over the final layout drawings so they were formatted for the factory system (we had to pay for that). They do come back and forth until you are fixed on the design including electricals, sanitaryware layout etc. At that point their engineers design out the structure in detail (included). We needed our own S.E to design the insulated raft based on the loads in the DanWood calcs. We then submitted DanWoods comprehensive specification, drawings, SAP design and calculations to Building Control along with our raft design and destination drainage details (Danwood design the internal layout). Not a single query.

 

Any of their stock designs can be altered , windows, doors, internal walls moved or added , we left out their standard stairs and they allowed for our own tighter design (and installation) so as to maximise space elsewhere, we found them willing to listen.

 

With regard to the overall design, it looked like the one we had planning for other than some glazing changes and less cladding ('cos that was dear). We didn't bother going back to the planners for that.

 

The advantage was an eight week build time on site, for which, a few compromises were worth it.....

[Alan Ambrose]

With the possible exception of tiny changes, I think changes to footprint and/or area always require new PP applications rather than amendments.

[BigBub]

Something to think about is any new requirements for Biodiversity Net Gain (BNG) which weren't required back in 2020 but would now apply to any new proposal you might submit. 

[Mr Punter]

3 hours ago, BigBub said:

Something to think about is any new requirements for Biodiversity Net Gain (BNG) which weren't required back in 2020 but would now apply to any new proposal you might submit. 

 

I thought self build was exempt?

[BigBub]

2 hours ago, Mr Punter said:

 

I thought self build was exempt?

Sorry, you're right on this. Would likely fall under self-build exemption