Tentative beginnings

[Jilly]

Hi, my first job is to create an entrance. 

 

The trees which will go are in the conservation area, but not beautiful, just overgrown hedge species. Should I check with the tree officer or just do it as we have planning and our new gap is clearly marked on the changes to the conservation area recently proposed in our village? 

 

I need to sort out services, so this needs to be planned and done at the same time to save digging up twice. Please could someone talk me through what the procedure is? 

 

When do we start having to pay council tax etc and create an address (I saw the other thread about the cost of this)?

 

Thanks

[Temp]

Hi Jilly, 

 

If the CIL applies in your area do all the exemption paperwork before you do anything on site. Otherwise you lose the self build exemption. 

 

Are there any conditions on your grant of planning? Some of these may have to be discharged before starting work.

 

You don't need to apply for a postal address for the site until much later but I don't know if there is anything to stop you doing so early. We fixed up a temporary postbox long before we had an official address.

 

You don't pay council tax until much later (unless you live on site in a caravan?). Eg after the house is habitable.

 

 

 

[Jilly]

Thank you, that's great info.

 

Edited December 3, 2018 by Jilly

[Temp]

CIL = Community Infrastructure Levy.

 

It will be mentioned in your grant of planning if the council have introduced it yet. Its intended to replace the older S106 contribution. Can be a small fortune for a large house in some areas.

 

 

[Jilly]

It doesn't ring any bells, so I am rushing to find out...thanks

 

[Temp]

Hi Jilly, 

 

I see in your other thread its a barn conversion of around 80sqm.

 

The CIL only applies to developments over 100sqm. So it shouldn't apply unless you are planning an extension at same time.

 

 

[Jilly]

No, the extension will be for another time...

[jack]

14 hours ago, Jilly said:

The trees which will go are in the conservation area, but not beautiful, just overgrown hedge species. Should I check with the tree officer or just do it as we have planning and our new gap is clearly marked on the changes to the conservation area recently proposed in our village? 

 

I'm far from an expert on trees, but I believe that planning permission overrules tree preservation orders. I assume it's the same in conservation areas. If your entrance is clearly marked on the granted planning application, I believe you're fine to cut down whatever trees must be cut down to achieve that. Do check this before proceeding though - it's just something I vaguely remember from several years ago when we were having tree troubles.

Second, tree preservation orders only apply, oddly enough, to "trees". It's a matter of degree as to whether a hedge plant is a tree. @PeterW might know something about this...

[joe90]

I agree, if you have planning permission then you can go ahead, you cannot have a tree in the middle of a drive (unless you want a roundabout ?)

[scottishjohn]

in scotland  they quite often put a tag on a tree that has  aTPO on it if its in a build site 

so no excuses for builder to say he didn,t know

[PeterW]

Legal definition of a tree is where measured at 1.5m above ground level - anything less than 75mm radius doesn’t have to be in a tree survey and cannot be protected by a TPO however they are covered by Hedgerow regulations and potentially by a conservation area. 

 

BS5387:2012 has the definitions and rules for RPA too. 

 

 

 

 

[Temp]

 

http://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2012/605/regulation/14/made

 

Regulation 13 is the regulation that protects trees. Regulation 14 covers exceptions that allow work on trees...

 

Exceptions

14.—(1) Nothing in regulation 13 shall prevent—

(a)the cutting down, topping, lopping or uprooting of a tree—

snip

(vii)so far as such work is necessary to implement a planning permission (other than an outline planning permission or, without prejudice to paragraph (iii)(cc), a permission granted by or under the Town and Country Planning (General Permitted Development) Order 1995) granted on an application under Part III of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990 (control over development), or deemed to have been granted (whether for the purposes of that Part or otherwise);

So make sure the entrance is clearly shown on your planning permission drawings.

 

[newhome]

As you're a barn conversion ensure that you are only charged 5% VAT on labour and materials (supply and fit) for these preparatory tasks such as creating an entrance and installing services. Ensure that you get full VAT receipts showing the word 'invoice' and the contractor's name and VAT number as you will need these if you are eligible for the VAT reclaim scheme (have you ascertained that yet?). It helps to be really organised about the paper trail from the get go as there will be quite a lot of it by the end and I'm still referring to paperwork several years down the line. 

 

Someone with more experience than me should be along to explain how to organise services. I don't think it's that straightforward to get the work for 2 services coordinated but there are some who have managed it. 

[Temp]

It's very hard to get several utilities co-ordinated. Are they in the grass verge your side or under the road? If you don't know then perhaps your solicitor got maps as part of the searches?

 

Typically you need to contact the utilities and fill in forms requesting a quote.  Think about where you want temporary water and electric supplies. Does the barn already have anything?

 

Meanwhile I would crack on and get the trees cleared. Perhaps also file the application for a dropped kerb if needed.

[Jilly]

We have water and electricity from the main house which can be used for now, so it's not essential to be done early.

 

The entrance will be across a soft verge and part of a ditch. 

 

 

The searches were done donkey's years ago when we bought it...no idea where they are now. 

 

There is a manhole cover near my entrance but I don't know what's under it, will need to check...