Potential planning permission for Potential house?

easilyamused

Apologies if this is glaringly obvious but I've never had to do it before so don't know!

We've seen a house we like that has no garage but potentially has space at the side for one.

We wouldn't be interested in the house though if planning permission isn't granted, as we need a garage. Is this something we could find out before going ahead with buying it? Or is it a bit of a chance you take? Can the council be approached if it's about a house you don't yet own?!

Thanks for any advice

bylromarha

I've enquired about possible planning permission on a house, with a view to buying it.

Council responded very quickly to my request, so give them a ring.

Doozergirl

There's also a thing called Permitted Development which allows you to build up to an extra 25% of the size of the original house without planning permission.

As bylromarha says though, the Planning Department at your local council will be used to this type of query and able to give you a quick indication, so go ahead and ask.

BobProperty

Doozergirl wrote:

There's also a thing called Permitted Development which allows you to build up to an extra 25% of the size of the original house without planning permission.

As bylromarha says though, the Planning Department at your local council will be used to this type of query and able to give you a quick indication, so go ahead and ask.

Doozer I hope you haven't been extending property by 25% without telling anyone
http://www.onlineplanningoffices.co.uk/main-content/needtoapplypermitted.htm

"Extensions - Permitted up to 70 cubic metres or 15% of the orginal detached or semi-detached house or: 50 cubic metres or 10% of a terraced house subject to a maximum in either case of 115 cubic metres - as long as: (1) Extension does not project beyond front wall of house or is less than 20m from the highway, whichever is the nearest, (2) Does not exceed highest point of roof, (3) Does not cover more than 50% of the total curtilage area."

Doozergirl

BobProperty wrote:

Doozer I hope you haven't been extending property by 25% without telling anyone

Oops! No I haven't! Not today anyway. :rotfl:

clairehi

Hi

just to say that yes you dont have to own the property (yet) to be granted planning permission.

Jorgan_2

Speak to EA's in the area to see how much a garage would add to the value of the property, the cost of building the garage may outway the value added to the property. In some areas a garage may add £2-3k to the value of a house while in Kensington or Chelsea it could be £2-300k.

tazgirl

Just call the planning officer at the local council for the area in which you are buying. They're really helpful (or at least the one I spoke to today was).

We're hopefully (fingers, toes, eyes and ears crossed) buying a house that we may want to extend (though in our case it's not critical to the purchase). I explained where we were buying and what we might want to do, and he checked that there aren't any restrictions (e.g conservation area etc).

The next step, which would suit you, would be to go along to their planning surgery and explain what we want to do, how we want to do it, the materials we'd want to use etc. They could then check development to other properties in the area (so a precident would be set) and whether the property has already been extended and when (so if the 15/10% permitted development has already been used up.

bylromarha

Have looked at another house with a view to extending in a different area..different council.

They offered no help whatsoever...completely unlike the other council.

Are sending a "design guidelines" pack and I could write a letter to ask their opinion, but that would take 2-3 months to get a reply as paid applications obviously take priority.

So, bit of a risk if we decide to go for this house...argh!

easilyamused

Thanks for the replies all. Very helpful

We've downloaded a Domestic Enquiry form from the local council to fill in (but will perhaps need to get a builder round to measure/cost up the whole thing and then get the EA to ask the vendor a few more questions such as whether they live over a public sewer or not!)

sportbeth

We've got a house on the market that has been bought by a developer. The contracts have been exchanged but there is a clause in the contract that says "Subject to planning permission". He then put the planning application in on the day we exchanged. That was about a month ago. Fingers crossed in a few weeks it should be a done deal.

We thought it was reasonable to do this, and if there is a precedent set in the road, i.e. others have a similar addition then chances are it should go through