Planning - Green Belt & Street Scene

Backofthenet

Hey guys, I know there are a lot of clever people out there so please may I run this past you all.
Ok not the most money saving issue on the planet but overall this could save me a bundle.
I’m looking to have built a two bay garage in my front garden and submitted the plans etc. My local council took one look at it and said “no way!”. They had a whole bunch of reasons but the main two are,

1. Openness of the Green Belt
2. Street Scene

We went back to them and said “ok we will reduce it dramatically!” their answer was “it will never happen, no garage will ever be built there!” Nice bunch at my local council!

My plan so far is to let this garage be refused and we are submitting new plans for the smaller garage, which will be refused I’m sure, then take both applications to appeal.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated!

Cheers guys!

RLH33

Unfortunately the Green Belt means there is a presumption against development, for example the starting point for development is No unless the type fits the very strict criteria for what is acceptable.

Sadly for you garages are not usually considered to be within the criteria for development within the Green Belt, I say usually as different Council's have different ways of interpreting the regulations, some are stricter than others.

From what you have said it appears that your Council is going to look to refuse your application regardless of the size of the garage as 'in principle' they consider it contrary to green belt policy, which they are well within their rights to do. Regarding the street scene side of things, without seeing the plans and knowing the area it is very hard to say whether they have a point on this or not.

Your only option is to do as you have and apply for the smaller garage and if it is refused then go to appeal. I will warn you though that, from a Council's point of view, appeals against developments in the Green Belt are one of the easiest type to win as the regs are the most black and white that there is.

neverdespairgirl

have you read the local council's planning policies?

jimmy230

One way of getting development through in the greenbelt is by doing a trade off, e.g. I'll knock down this old dilapidated building of 300 sq m if you let me built this new building of 200 sq m.

Often that will fit in with a Council's policy of reducing built form in the greenbelt because, to use that example again, they can say that there has been a reduction of 100 sq m of development in the greenbelt.

That's all very well if you have such a building and can make that trade off. But with your situation, it is unlikely that even if you could do this, the Council will still refer to their policy of maintaining an open streetscene. I suspect unless you can relocate the proposed garage to the side or rear of your property, it is unlikely you will get this past the Council.