Planning success

[oldclaypaws]

We've had so many people relaying tales of planning woe I'm pleased to report that they do sometimes support proposals if you go about it the right way.

It clearly helps to take a few aspirin, read through the legislation, know the criteria they are likely to want met, and conform to it. Its hard work and I can see why there are specialist advisors making a living from it.

Having rung them and asked for the most agreeable procedure, I followed their suggestion of doing a 'pre-prior notification letter' to open a discussion of my plans and be able to clarify any areas of concern, to facilitate a successful application. I detailed a paragraph each on the background of the wood, my management plan, and the need for and description of the building. If I don't say so myself it was well worded, genuine and made a very strong case, and was all bona fide which helps. I think they have a nose for underhand schemes and can smell a rat. I followed this up with a couple of humble phone calls to make contact with the allotted planner for the area and answer his further questions, which I was able to satisfy. His concerns were for example whether having put the building up I would have any intention of then selling the wood. I emphatically said absolutely not, myself and the wood are joined at the hip and I wouldn't sell it for £1 Million, which is true. Its an essential part of a thirty year plan and genuine forestry venture. Presumably once a building is up, other people will eye it as an opportunity for various other uses on the quiet and this bumps up the resale value. I've seen a small wood with a large barn in our region for sale where the speculative price would seem to be to imply it could be morphed into a variety of purposes- not if the planners had any say in the matter.

I still have to submit a prior application, but now I know who's lap it will fall on, I have a reference of the discussion for him to look up again and he's indicated that;

In my opinion, on the basis of the written justification the proposed building would comply with the relevant sections of part 7 of the GPDO relating to forestry operations.

So I think one can assume that if I complete the form carefully with the right plans, its all systems go. I also indicated that further to investigating the costs, fittings and space required for kit the building would be roughly 20 x 40 as a best guess, it might be a few feet either way but wouldn't vary hugely. He expressed relief I said 'feet' as he'd half thought I was talking meters !

Onwards and upwards.

[Wendelspanswick]

Well done!
When you put in the dimensions for your buildings its worthwhile looking up standard timber lengths and doing it in multiples of it so you don't suddenly realise that your buildings needs say 1.05 lengths of feather edge to clad it or your building needs 5m long purlins when they only come in 4.85m lengths!

[smojo]

Well done mate. one step nearer.

[oldclaypaws]

I spoke today to Blackdown buildings, outlining what I had in mind and asking them to contribute their own suggestions. They were very easy to deal with and came up with good ideas such as lining the sheet metal roof with ply to avoid condensation and doing without a raised floor void in the 'shelter' section as it would inevitably be occupied by little 4 legged visitors. Uprights to go on metal boots to avoid rot, sides best resting on brick or blocks with a membrane to avoid damp. 'A frame' roof. All self assembly, apparently not rocket science needing only a hammer and screwdriver. I know I have a degree of flexibilty from the planners on size as they thought my original suggestion of 20 x 40ft to be quite modest for the proposed use. Blackdown suggested as all there agricultural units are in 15ft 'modules' I should up it to 30 x 45 ft, this apparently isn't much more expensive than 20 x 40, even though its a 68% increase in floor area. Always good to have a bit to spare.

I went and marked it out with posts this afternoon. It seems its going to be a village hall. Once you see the size of the sub-parts I have for the three different uses, shelter/kit bit/storage, it doesn't seem much at all, but put them all together I think you'd have to call it a pretty sizeable barn.

Need to have a final think about the layout and options, but a very encouraging start. The cost is higher than my original budget but so's the size, and it would certainly be versatile and more than big enough for what I had in mind. Apart from the Vatman's slice and foundations, should have change out of £10K, which is one heck of a building for the same as some people spend on a small caravan.

Barn dance this autumn, tickets £5, order now, Lol.

[Wendelspanswick]

Just completing the groundworks on mine at the moment, or I would be if I hadn't had a chest infection for the last 4 weeks!
Trying to do everything myself without paying for any outside contractors.
Used the Backactor(digger arm) on my tractor to level the site and dig the pads for the steel frame and the footings for the walls.
Ferried 6 tons of ballast from the local quarry in the trailer behind the tractor and used it to mix the concrete in the PTO mixer for the pads and footings.
Started to lay the hollow concrete blocks on the footings up to floor level and that is as far as I have got.
Once I am 100% I will finish the block work up to floor level and then order in my structural steel work to weld the frame up with.
My biggest hurdle will be getting 6 m3 of ready mix concrete up a steep stoney track and across the meadow to pour the floor with.
I have assurances from my pals that they will lend a hand, I will hire a 5 ton dumper I think and use it to ferry the concrete in 2 loads. That's further down the line though as I am not going to pour the floor until after the roof is on.

[oldclaypaws]

I have a few 'preps' such as widening my gate and access enough for both a 24ft + cab flat back delivery truck, and the cement mixer. A couple of over hanging boughs might also have to go too, but the general access is firm and good which makes life simpler. I'll check out the cost of steel but don't really think I need it and timber should see me out.

Think I'll be pouring cement before roofing, that way I'll be sure to have that attractive Akita paw print pattern all over the floor, (its inevitable), and if I fall off the roof during construction it gives something more solid to land on.

Just as well I checked your suggestion of standard timber lengths WendelP, the teak decking round the hot tub only comes in 8ft lengths and the granite worktops for the kitchen are a standard 2.5 metres. My guestimate of 10m x 10m was correct for the base of the helipad on the roof though, that's a relief.

[Dave and Verity]

This is the best picture I've got with me at the minute. It isn't great, but gives you the gist. This was already in place, we guess that it was made from trees felled when powerline was installed. The footings are from memory nine oil barrels buried and then filled with concrete. The Uprights have been cast in place. We are told it is currently about 20 years old. It does appear on the titles.

Dave

[oldclaypaws]

An unrelated fresh thought.

Its not my agenda at all and I don't generally approve of developers trying to find planning loopholes, but from what I've seen in the way of local developments suggests that most conversions from barns to houses seem to get past the planners round here successfully. I think many farmers see their old barns as a potential house plot and a tidy profit. That sounded like a concern in the case of my building, they were worried the building might start as agricultural and change into something else inappropriate over time. There's actually a council condition on the sale of my wood that its strictly to be used for Forestry, which is I think quite correct for such a lovely little ancient wood, it should be protected. We have a house and what I want is the means to restore the wood and make best use of the surplus timber, not sell off my wood as a profitable development project.

Curiously, while the council are against sneaky housing plans, they are fully on board with anything that encourages tourism. If I was a bread head and proposed six Swedish style chalets as holiday lets, they'd support it, even though it would have a major impact on the wood and spoil it.

[nursejim]

I've recently been given permission to site 2 x 20 foot shipping containers in my woodland. I had them craned into place over the winter and they are fab....completely transformed my woodland experience. It is possible if you work with the planners and provide them with the info they require and a sound rationale.

Great to hear of other folks sucess in gaining the proper permissions.

[vushtrri]

Still waiting to see if my prior notification for a single 20 x 8 container has been ok'd. I put in further info regarding requirement and justification etc so will just gave to sit and see!