New home checks, land?

mils

Hi we're potentially looking at buying a new home and wondered what's the best way to find out if there's any plans on the surrounding land. The property itself is secluded (yay) by fields with some quarries at a distance.
I've spoke to the local council for that area who informed me to go online and check there planning application tool to see if there were any proposed plans that would effect that area- after doing this there appears not to be.
She also informed to get in contact with local development officer ? Wouldn't know where to start and would an old house on its own have such a thing ???
Currently the quarries are quite a distance but I'm thinking in many many years time when other members of the family may have the house, this could come into effect. She advised I ring the Lancashire county council for these

If anyone knows any other checks I can do please let me know

Sorry I know some of this will sound very 'simple' to you but if I'm honest I've had very little experience and confused by the advise from the lady of the local counciling area, and wary due to the cost of the property that I would rather be OTT with it and feel safe that .

Any help would be much appreciated
Thanks
Paul

WestonDave

Worth checking what is now called their "Core Strategy" which will tell you what the land around your proposed house is zoned for. There may not be a current planning application but you need to know if the next field is zoned on their plans as being potentially available for housing development if someone put plans in. If they haven't got a Core Strategy (firstly be afraid as it makes things a bit of a free for all and sites next to current development might be quite attractive) look for drafts of one or an older "Local Plan".

However there are no guarantees. Our house is near green belt that everyone assumed was sacrosanct - until our council shoved part of it in their new Core Strategy with zero consultation and virtually no chance to change it.

mils

Thanks, yea the lady from the local council mentioned checking e core strategy. Wo and where would I find this ?

WestonDave

If you go on the council website, it will probably have a search facility which should bring it up - its probably amongst various meeting minutes etc. If its anything like ours there will have been various drafts, lots of rows, and probably an inspector looking at it. Be warned - if you've ever suffered from insomnia, reading one of these is a very good way to cure it! It maybe that you need to look specifically for documents I think called SLHAA or SMHA (can't remember what the acronyms are for) which may be a quicker way to finding proposed development locations. They are supposed to have a 5 year supply of building land which is what you need to find.

mils

Thanks will look into it now !! Sounds like fun ........,,