Building a house is many people’s dream, but how do you turn this into a reality?
Indeed, owning a piece of land that could potentially house a new home or development is a great start, but this is just the beginning of the process. There are many other hurdles to overcome before you can begin putting bricks and mortar together and laying the foundations of a new development.
Here are some things you need to consider before you begin building.
Is the land located in the countryside or the Green Belt area?
If the land is in the countryside, many rules are in place to protect rural landscapes; Green Belt legislation is in place to secure these natural areas from overdevelopment. According to the National Planning Policy Framework, Green Belt legislation is in place to:
- Prevent the unrestricted development of towns and urban areas.
- Stop neighbouring towns from combining.
- Support urban regeneration by promoting the recycling of unused land.
- Safeguard the countryside from too much development.
- Preserve the setting and character of historic towns and villages.
If your land is situated within a designated Green Belt area, great care and consideration are required in the planning process to avoid negatively impacting the openness.
The setting of a building a house can be an issue too, particularly if the land is situated within a national park or protected area. If this is the case, then legislation is in place to protect it for its own sake.
However, if the land is close to another property or between other dwellings, then the potential for a new residence is increased, even within the Green Belt.
How do you know if your land is in the Green Belt?
You must contact your local council’s planning department to confirm where your plot of land is located. Doing so will help you determine if there are any restrictions or regulations you must adhere to before planning any buildings or developments.
How to achieve planning approval in a Green Belt area
Even if your land is located in a village designated as Green Belt, there are still routes to planning permission involving the ‘limited infill’ policy.
This is part of the National Planning Framework and allows for what it describes as “limited infilling in villages”. It involves the building of a house within a vacant or underused plot of land in an already existing community, meaning its construction would not harm the openness of the Green Belt land around it.
The limited infill clause is often open to interpretation as a piece of planning law. However, suppose you are close to bus routes, schools, shops, or other facilities. In that case, limited infill could well be an opportunity to pursue property development when it might otherwise be impossible. The more existing infrastructure already in place, then the greater the chance of success in contesting a planning application.
Talk to English Architectural
With more than 30 years’ experience in successful planning applications, the team at English Architectural can help. To find out more call us on 01787 275588 or email Mike@english-architectural.co.uk. We’d be delighted to discuss.