Understanding caveats in approved planning application

ZZaffy

I have found some land that I would like to buy. Planning has been allowed for a log cabin and there is a caveat. Permission for an equestrian business is granted too and there are caveats to that as well, but I am not sure exactly what the requirements to comply are. Who do I contact to ask more about the context? The estate agent cannot give me anymore information than what is written in the approved planning application.
Thank you

eddddy

Do you mean planning conditions?

You can ask the local authority planning department - some let you drop-in and ask questions for free, but some ask for a fee for a meeting.

Alternatively, you can post them here, and people will offer their opinions (but some of the opinions posted may be wrong).

quotememiserable

Eddddy had lots of letter D's and he's right. Can you tell us the exact wording of the caveat, then we might be able to advise.

ZZaffy

1 The development hereby permitted shall be begun before the expiration of three years from the date of this permission.
1 Reason: To comply with the requirements of Section 91(1) of the Town and Country Planning Act, 1990 as amended by Section 51 of the Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act 2004.
2 The log cabin hereby permitted shall be stationed on site and occupied for residential purposes for a limited period being the period of 3 years from the date of this decision. The log cabin hereby permitted shall be removed from site and the land where it has been sited restored to its former condition on or before 31st November 2020 in accordance with a scheme of work that shall have been submitted to and approved in writing by the local planning authority.
2 Reason: The site is within an area where permission for a dwelling unconnected with a rural worker would not normally be permitted and because permission is granted having regard to the special circumstances of the case and to comply with the National Planning Policy Framework.
3 The occupation of the log cabin shall be limited to a person solely or mainly employed or last employed in the equestrian business on land off Mill Lane occupying the plot edged red on the site location plan, or a widow or widower or surviving civil partner of such a person, and to any resident dependants.
3 Reason: The site is within an area where permission for a dwelling unconnected with a rural worker would not normally be permitted and because permission is granted having regard to the special circumstances of the case and to comply with the National Planning Policy Framework.

ZZaffy

Thank you. I don't really understand any of it. We want to start an equestrian business. We would like to build a log cabin on the land and live in it permanently. What is the 3 year condition? To pay for a liveable log cabin and then pull it down would be a waste of time and money. There are more rules that are also rather vague and I will post those later. Thank you, all, for responding.

unforeseen

Nothing vague about it. You can put up a log cabin but it can only be there until Nov 2020. It must then be removed and the land returned to its former state using a plan agreed with them

Also it would appear that only a single person may live there.

You want a log cabin somewhere where it would not normally be allowed. They have made an exemption for you for 3 years.

GrumpyDil

Actually it does allow "any resident dependants." As well so would allow more than one person but he's is a temporary consent only so not much use long term.

Davesnave

unforeseen wrote: »

Also it would appear that only a single person may live there.

The permission includes dependants and appears to relate to a 'scheme of work' in relation to an equestrian business.

Equestrianism doesn't count as agriculture, so the local authority can't grant permission for an agriculturally tied dwelling here. However, it seems they've gone down this temporary dwelling route to assist the owner of the equestrian yard in doing other work for business purposes.

Sometimes when a person is constructing a permanent building, the council allow a mobile home on a temporary basis like this.

So, it seems the equestrian scheme of work they've approved can be built, but no permanent home can be constructed on the land.

Davesnave

ZZaffy wrote: »

. We want to start an equestrian business. We would like to build a log cabin on the land and live in it permanently. What is the 3 year condition? To pay for a liveable log cabin and then pull it down would be a waste of time and money. There are more rules that are also rather vague and I will post those later. Thank you, all, for responding.

The rules are clear enough. Having stables and keeping horses isn't seen as something that requires owners to live on-site, nor is it farming, so getting permission to build a house alongside a new equestrian business outside designated development areas is usually a non-starter.

An exception for temporary accommodation only is being made here, because owners might need to be on-site during the building of stables for various reasons, mainly security related.

There must be a permission related to the stables somewhere.

Often, owners of stables build-in some kind of day living, and some probably hope to get a 'foot in the door' for a simple dwelling at a later date, maybe by surreptitiously living there for the required period then seeking a Certificate of Lawful Development, but that goes beyond our advisory scope here!

AdrianC

Think of the cabin as short-term job-specific accommodation. If you don't have that need, ignore the PP completely.

If you're interested in the land because you think you can build a cabin on it for long-term residential purposes, then don't buy it, because you can't. And if they're putting those caveats in place, you aren't going to easily get them removed...

ZZaffy

Thank you everyone, so helpful. Of course it says that!! I see it clearly now. The problem for me was why? Now the why is explained, it all makes sense. Thank you for your interest.