Getting change of use on a pub and a mortgage

planning_officer

eco-friendly wrote: »

Thanks for that...


It's a shame though, that planners couldn't have applied the same policies in the past to save the destruction of small businesses in most of our towns.

I suppose it depends really on the policies of your particular council with regard to safeguarding businesses (as opposed to community facilities like pubs).

We also protect small businesses in the same manner, i.e. they need to show the premises are not suitable for business use, evidence of marketing to prove that, etc. A Council has to have an up to date survey of business activity within their district though, to support any refusal of a loss of employment site, otherwise they will get ripped to shreds at appeal by an Inspector.

Luckily, we have an Employment Land Review that concludes that no employment sites should be lost, as there will then be a shortage (and this is based on long term economic predictions as to how much employment land will be required in the future). Since we had that research done, we have been very successful at appeal, as Inspectors nearly always go with the 'official research', rather than an applicant claiming that it isn't required, but unless the research shows that no such sites should be lost, a Council would have to be careful about refusing such applications, if they want to defend it successfully at appeal.

It may be that your council doesn't have that evidence base on which to rely, to support refusals for loss of employment sites, so they have to be careful in order to defend them at appeal.

cs1961

can i ask a question?
we are also looking at buying a pub and are looking at change of use. My question is have you sorted out the vat on the one you are looking at?
do you need the change of use from commercial to single dwelling before you buy or can you buy it and not pay the vat as you are waiting for change of use?

any ideas would be great.

pastmybest

cs1961 wrote: »

can i ask a question?
we are also looking at buying a pub and are looking at change of use. My question is have you sorted out the vat on the one you are looking at?
do you need the change of use from commercial to single dwelling before you buy or can you buy it and not pay the vat as you are waiting for change of use?

any ideas would be great.

Where do you think VAT comes into it?

There is no Vat in buying a private house or business premises. On the latter only if you have stock involved which I doubt?

cs1961

there is no stock as the pub has been closed for at least 12months but the selling agents are advertising it as £xxx plus vat as it is a commercial property

Pubman_2

Don't know if you're still considering closed pubs but I specialise in change of use applications if it is of help.