Adding an annexe/lapsed PP

[Earthdog]

I have been looking at houses and have seen an ideal one apart from the fact I would like an annexe as I will be moving 100's of miles from friends and family and would like them to stay. This house has lapsed PP to extend. Does this mean it is pretty much guaranteed that the PP could be reinstated? Also any ideas very roughly how much it would cost to build a smallish annexe (maybe one bed, bath and sitting room/kitchenette downstairs? Under £40k? Thanks for any comments/experience :-)

Can't help you with build costs, but I can help with planning.

A lapsed planning permission is no guarantee that you will get it again. The reason planning permissions have time limits on them is to take into account changes in policy and guidance and there may have been such changes which affect your ability to build the extension. For example, the Council may have brought in guidance on the design or location of house extensions which now rules out what there has previously been consent for. There were also the changes to permitted development rights for dwellings in 2008 which may rule out a 'fallback position' on the basis of which the previous permission was granted. (i.e something similar could have been built without planning permission but can't now).

The important thing to remember about annexes is that if the property has previously had permission for an outbuilding, you must check what the proposed use of that building was. There is a difference between accommodation which is 'incidential to the enjoyment of the dwellinghouse' e.g. a garage, workshop or games room and 'primary living accommodation' which would include guest accommodation as you describe. Recent cases have been somewhat contradictory but it may be considered to be a 'dwelling' and if the house is in Green Belt or a rural location this would be unacceptable in principle.

The best thing to do is to phone or write to the Council in question and ask.

Please bear in mind, and this is a separate issue to planning permission that you would have to pay Council Tax on the annexe as well as the main house.

Thank you for your very helpful reply MissM. I will certainly speak to the council as you suggest-it is in a very rural location. I had thought that if I built the annexe effectively as an extension, so it could be used as a part of the house normally but with a door locked when someone is staying, then it wouldn't be viewed as a separate unit but maybe I was being optimistic..more research needed I think! Thanks again :-)