Buying house Planning Permission Help Needed

Mudegg

Hi All,

I'm buying my first home. Been viewing houses for the past few months and finally found one I like.

There is something I'd like to potentially change (appreciate that I'm getting a bit ahead of myself as I've not submitted an offer yet, however I do feel like this could be important to my decision on how much I want this house and how much I'm willing to pay).

Essentially the house is on a junction/corner, there isn't a front garden or that much space at the front. It also sits on the top of a hill, there are some structure to the front/side of the house, which I suspect plays some role in supporting the road structute.

Please see the circle below what I'm referring to.

This part is built like big wide steps, with multiple levels and it adds nothing to the house. It just feels like a massive waste of space.

I thought I could turn this part into a parking space by either removing/flaten it or build on it for it to become a platform.

The removing idea was questioned by my friends as they think it's required in supporting the road structure next to it (it's a hill)

So if going with the building on it approach. My vision would be to raise the whole thing as a platform so it's on the same level as the road at the top, and remove the fence, having the lamp post and salt box relocated and curb lowered on the right hand side. so essentially creating a parking space/platform sitting diagnally above the front entrance of the house.

Understand this will definitely require planning permission, especially when it involves lamp post and salt storage box, and potentially street name sign, and I'm also not sure if the location being at the corner/junction adds more complexity to the decision?

Just wondering if anyone with planning permission experience is able to let me know if my vision is possible at all?

Appreciate that it'll be down to the local council (Lancashire), but obviously I've not bought the house yet so unable to make any enquiries. Just want to know if there is any obvious deal breaker for my plan?

eddddy

Mudegg said:

My vision would be to raise the whole thing as a platform so it's on the same level as the road at the top, and remove the fence, having the lamp post and salt box relocated and curb lowered on the right hand side. so essentially creating a parking space/platform sitting diagnally above the front entrance of the house.

I suspect that you wouldn't get consent for that for safety reasons  - because it's too close to the junction.

Mudegg said:

Appreciate that it'll be down to the local council (Lancashire), but obviously I've not bought the house yet so unable to make any enquiries.

There's nothing to stop you making enquiries with the council - you don't have to own the property.

But depending on the council, they might insist that you enquire in writing and pay a fee.

teaselMay

Is it a house or flats? If it's a house you've already got 2 parking spaces. I'd add garden to the top of the whatever it is, unless it can't take weight, but it has slabs on so looks as though it can

Slinky

I'd say there's not a snowball's chance of getting PP for a parking space there if you're talking about crossing the pavement where the lamp standard is. Way too close to the junction.

I'd be concerned by what looks like damp on the building wall next to the paved areas.

Mudegg

teaselMay said:

Is it a house or flats? If it's a house you've already got 2 parking spaces. I'd add garden to the top of the whatever it is, unless it can't take weight, but it has slabs on so looks as though it can

It's a house. My idea was to free up the space at the front, so I can maybe build some sort of front garden and gates maybe.

The whole thing was because the feeling of lack of privacy at the front of the house, because of the glass structure and the small but open space at the front.

That's why I'm trying to change the whole layout to have parking space on the side so I can mess with the front bit.

But maybe not a baf shout if I put some plants on the corner bit, that would add some privacy.

Mudegg

eddddy said:

Mudegg said:

My vision would be to raise the whole thing as a platform so it's on the same level as the road at the top, and remove the fence, having the lamp post and salt box relocated and curb lowered on the right hand side. so essentially creating a parking space/platform sitting diagnally above the front entrance of the house.

I suspect that you wouldn't get consent for that for safety reasons  - because it's too close to the junction.

Mudegg said:

Appreciate that it'll be down to the local council (Lancashire), but obviously I've not bought the house yet so unable to make any enquiries.

There's nothing to stop you making enquiries with the council - you don't have to own the property.

But depending on the council, they might insist that you enquire in writing and pay a fee.

thank you for the comment, that was my concern as well, as it's very close to the junction.

But my thinking/argument would be the house is very close to the junction, surely it's a bit unfair to stop me from doing thing's that otherwise would be ok, as everything I add or change would be close to the junction...

user1977

Mudegg said:

eddddy said:

Mudegg said:

My vision would be to raise the whole thing as a platform so it's on the same level as the road at the top, and remove the fence, having the lamp post and salt box relocated and curb lowered on the right hand side. so essentially creating a parking space/platform sitting diagnally above the front entrance of the house.

I suspect that you wouldn't get consent for that for safety reasons  - because it's too close to the junction.

Mudegg said:

Appreciate that it'll be down to the local council (Lancashire), but obviously I've not bought the house yet so unable to make any enquiries.

There's nothing to stop you making enquiries with the council - you don't have to own the property.

But depending on the council, they might insist that you enquire in writing and pay a fee.

But my thinking/argument would be the house is very close to the junction, surely it's a bit unfair to stop me from doing thing's that otherwise would be ok, as everything I add or change would be close to the junction...

Your belief that "it's a bit unfair" isn't going to trump road safety considerations. If you want a house where that wouldn't be a problem, you need to find one which isn't at a junction.

Mudegg

Slinky said:

I'd say there's not a snowball's chance of getting PP for a parking space there if you're talking about crossing the pavement where the lamp standard is. Way too close to the junction.

I'd be concerned by what looks like damp on the building wall next to the paved areas.

yep that's what I was talking about and that's my concern exactly 😮‍💨

I know it's very close to the junction, but with the house itself being so close to the junction, I was wondering if there is any leeway to the highway rules....

thanks for the flag on the damp! There is an external water tap there, and that part is just the staircase, not adjacent to any room. I think it's just moss and a bit of mould on the outside brick, but I will make sure it's checked.

Mudegg

user1977 said:

Mudegg said:

eddddy said:

Mudegg said:

My vision would be to raise the whole thing as a platform so it's on the same level as the road at the top, and remove the fence, having the lamp post and salt box relocated and curb lowered on the right hand side. so essentially creating a parking space/platform sitting diagnally above the front entrance of the house.

I suspect that you wouldn't get consent for that for safety reasons  - because it's too close to the junction.

Mudegg said:

Appreciate that it'll be down to the local council (Lancashire), but obviously I've not bought the house yet so unable to make any enquiries.

There's nothing to stop you making enquiries with the council - you don't have to own the property.

But depending on the council, they might insist that you enquire in writing and pay a fee.

But my thinking/argument would be the house is very close to the junction, surely it's a bit unfair to stop me from doing thing's that otherwise would be ok, as everything I add or change would be close to the junction...

Your belief that "it's a bit unfair" isn't going to trump road safety considerations. If you want a house where that wouldn't be a problem, you need to find one which isn't at a junction.

thanks that's a fair point. That's why I asked the question as I wasn't sure if there is any leeway in this kind of rule.

teaselMay

The main feature of the house looks as though it's all the big windows and so if that's what you're trying to obscure I'd probably look at other houses rather than try to work around that.

A dropped curb and drive where you're thinking would be dangerous.

Bigphil1474

Agree with others about the low chance of getting your parking space idea to work. I also think it's highly unlikely that the raised platform in the properties garden is holding the road up though. There may be some reason it's been raised, maybe for services into the property like a water main, but supporting the road? Nah. I expect you could remove it - have you asked the current owners?