change of use outbuilding to self contained annex

mandm65

A few years back, we constructed an ancillary outbuilding at the end of our garden. The outbuilding is predominately used for playing games/social get-together.
Recently my father in law passed away consequently my MiL is spending a lot of time with us. Our kids enjoy spending time with their gran, and we don’t mind whenever she stays with us.
We are thinking ahead and exploring our option for the future. If she stays long-term with us, then we may have to utilise our outbuilding and perhaps look at the option of changing the use of the outbuilding to some sort of granny annex. Fortunately, the outbuilding has the toilet/shower, so the outbuilding does not require extensive work to convert into GA.
We are unsure how best to proceed with this, any help/pointers would be appreciated most.
cheers

sevenhills

mandm65 wrote: »

A few years back, we constructed an ancillary outbuilding at the end of our garden. The outbuilding is predominately used for playing games/social get-together.

Did you get planning permission to allow you to build it?

mandm65

sevenhills wrote: »

Did you get planning permission to allow you to build it?

Yes both PP and BR, thanks.

Gloomendoom

A chat with the local planning department will confirm whether you need to apply for planning permission for change of use to residential.

TheCyclingProgrammer

Gloomendoom wrote: »

A chat with the local planning department will confirm whether you need to apply for planning permission for change of use to residential.

Surely the building use is already residential?

mandm65

Gloomendoom wrote: »

A chat with the local planning department will confirm whether you need to apply for planning permission for change of use to residential.

Its alreday used as residential, did you mean to say GA?

mandm65

TheCyclingProgrammer wrote: »

Surely the building use is already residential?

Yes thats correct!

Doozergirl

mandm65 wrote: »

Yes thats correct!

Check what your planning permission is for. What does the decision notice say?

'residential' was the wrong word for that person to use.

Annexes aren't my area of expertise either, but planning is required for any outbuilding with washing facilities and usually it has to be incidental use to the dwelling, not a completely self-contained permanently used annex, which may need extra permissions.

The simple advice is to call the planning office and find out. You can't move an elderly person in to find out that the neighbours are complaining and the planning department start enforcement proceedings. Ask them what is okay.

Gloomendoom

TheCyclingProgrammer wrote: »

Surely the building use is already residential?

Possibly. By chance I was perusing planning applications local to our holiday place yesterday. Some seemed very similar to the OP's situation.

TheCyclingProgrammer

FWIW...the requirement for outbuildings to be "incidental to the enjoyment of the main dwellinghouse" only applies if constructing under permitted development, not planning permission.

If you have obtained planning permission for an outbuilding for one type of residential use, then AFAIK there is no requirement to obtain further permission if you are simply continuing to use it for residential purposes (because this isn't a change of use in planning terms) UNLESS the original planning permission explicitly has restrictions against e.g. using it as accommodation.

So the first step would be to establish if there are any conditions on the granted planning permission. If there are conditions that would restrict its use you would need to apply for these conditions to be lifted.

Doozergirl is right that outbuildings can't normally be sold or let out as completely self-contained residences but they can be used as an extension of the main house (i.e. a fancy guest room). If in doubt consult your local planning department.

mandm65

Doozergirl wrote: »

Check what your planning permission is for. What does the decision notice say?

'residential' was the wrong word for that person to use.

Annexes aren't my area of expertise either, but planning is required for any outbuilding with washing facilities and usually it has to be incidental use to the dwelling, not a completely self-contained permanently used annex, which may need extra permissions.

The simple advice is to call the planning office and find out. You can't move an elderly person in to find out that the neighbours are complaining and the planning department start enforcement proceedings. Ask them what is okay.

I dont think we have the decision notice, i went to the council website to view the DN but seems council has removed all documents linked to our original application?
I agree we would not want to move my MiL in without seeking the correct advise, hence the reason for the post here.