Holiday Let used as Main Residence

ProDave wrote: »

Planning rules have changed. There is now Part Q which may help you, though aimed at changing redundant farm buildings into homes. If this had still been a barn, then part Q now would almost certainly allow it to be converted to a house so you could argue on that basis.

Otherwise just use it as a house, and if you get away with it for (I think) 10 years you can apply for a certificate of lawful development.

Class Q still has rules and what the building was used for before is important.
For example, a barn previously used as stabling for horses wouldn't qualify under Part Q, so I don't see a holiday let being in a more favourable position. We're keeping horses out of our barn for that reason!

The main thrust of Class Q is as follows but there are other caveats:
Development not permitted
Q.1 Development is not permitted by Class Q if—
a) the site was not used solely for an agricultural use as part of an established agricultural unit—
(i) on 20th March 2013, or
(ii) in the case of a building which was in use before that date but was not in use on that date, when it was last in use, or
(iii) in the case of a site which was brought into use after 20th March 2013, for a period of at least 10 years before the date development under Class Q begins;


This is not to say that rules under Class Q won't be further relaxed as time goes by.

martindow wrote: »

Don't assume that because it is rural you can quietly get away with living there without it being noticed. No matter how out of the way it is locals will be well aware of any changes. There is always going to be someone who might tip off the planning people or the parish council.

I made this point earlier, but because people know, doesn't mean they will report a breach of planning.

There are people living next door to me who have been in breach of planning for over 10 years. They are well-known to social services, other bodies and people in the village, but no one has seen any advantage in reporting them, if they even understand the matter. Their landlord will benefit, because the breach means she now has a right to apply for a CLEUD.

When we bought our property, the vendor's adult daughter + partner were living in a caravan in the grounds. They'd been thee a year or two getting money together for something more permanent. Maybe it wasn't a secret, but it could have been, as it couldn't be viewed from public places.

The truth is, no one can tell you whether occupying a property in breach of planning conditions will go well or badly, because every situation is individual.