Planning permission on a house you want to buy?

[ReshapeWhileDamp]

How do you go about finding out whether it'd be likely or not to get planning permission on a house you're interested in buying? Because if we didn't get permission, it would be a good reason not to make an offer.

This is a house we both like, in the right place and with the right rooms etc. BUT it has no loft area (townhouse) or garage space (coverted to family room). ie. virtually no storage space for larger items like stray items of furniture (cot, etc), christmas stuff, suitcases etc. I have a lot of crap! I'm prepared to declutter to a certain extent, but there are things I need to hang onto.

So we want to know if it'll be permissable to build a small brick storage shed (ie. not a wooden shed, prone to damp) at the bottom of the garden. And I have no idea how to find out, or how long it's likely to take.

bump

Our local council offers a chat with a planning officer,obviously they cant tell you if planning permission would be definately granted but I think they would tell you if it was out of the question.Could you look on the local councils website to see if they offer a similar service?

We have been looking at planning permission recently for the house we currently live in as we want an extension. If you look at your local council website (probably in the 'planning' section) it should tell you the criteria of whether planning permission is needed or not. If the extension you'd be thinking of is quite large then you probably would need planning permission in which case I'd suggest ringing the council up as I think they should be able to advise, you can't be the first person that's asked it before.
Good luck.

Ok, thanks, that's very helpful. What I have in mind is a permanent sort of shed (about the size of two garden sheds) but unlike a wooden shed, which generally doesn't need permission, this would be a permanent storage building at the bottom of the garden. One-storey and we'd screen it off with, um, something garden-y! I'll get onto the local council tomorrow then.

Hi Reshape

Ask to see the planning officer for that area and they will be able to tell you whether the proposed development is acceptable in policy terms. Just be mindful of neighbours objections - something which is OK in terms of policy can still be refused because of the impact on neighbours. Also ask the agent whether they are aware of any covenants on the property which would prevent you building in the garden. Good luck!

Hiya, Porridge!

I'll get onto him/her this afternoon. TBH, it's neighbours I'm more concerned about. The house in question is the end one of three townhouses and the other side is another row of three townhouses, all recently built (60's?). It's in an old village but there aren't old buildings in the immediate area. Ooh, and I'd never have known about covenants, so thanks for that!

Have you already checked online to make sure that it isn't within your new permitted development rights? There's detailed guidance on the government's planning site about what's now considered permitted development.

You'll need to know the size of the garden, I believe, and I think the size of the house too.

I know someone who made an offer dependant on getting planning to convert an outbuilding.
Offer was accepted and they put in the application and only exchanged contracts once the permission came through.

You don't have to own the house to put in an application for planning permission so you could do that alongside taking the purchase very very slowly.

You should be able to have a decision in 8 weeks. Of course if the decision is no you won't be able to recover the money on the application or surveys etc but it would give you a definite answer.