Planning Permission questions...

[jigln]

Thanking you in advance for your impute and knowledge. Thank you.

1- if a 'residential' domestic property is just empty, run down and derelict... and you DON'T Make any Structural or Extension changes, do you even need planning, given that your just cleaning it up, sealing it up and making it usable AGAIN?

2 - 'IF' you even need planning for the above, should you include any Eventual Additions right away, even if you never end up building the proposed addition, or should you just wait till you are actually going to do it?

3 - Cost, if any, for such a basic property, again IF you even need planning?

Thank you once more.

[Southern-Gal]

Not sure if the rules are the same in Sotland as they are in England but I was told by a planning officer in England if a property is not lived in for eight years or more it has gone through an automatic change of use and if you want it to be residential again you need to apply. We had two old derelict cottages that had been used as stables for quite some time and although they were originally built as houses we had to apply and get planning to live in the again. Best idea would be to ring and ask a planning officer :)

[jigln]

thank you Southern Gal, I am going to do just that... but I want to be up to speed before I do.

my previous understanding and past queries have left me with understanding that IF it is a house/cottage and you are doing No Thing to it, bar gutting, cleaning it out, new doors and windows and refitting, kitchen and flooring and basically just decorating, renew it, then it's just the same as buying any house and putting your own tastes and touches to it.

then it doesn't need planning.

[starfish]

i would recommend writing to the planning office and get them to answer your questions on paper, we have been in planning office and given advice over the counter . then when we have processsed to do the work we were told we could not do it . so now when ever dealing with the council i always get the answer in writing then when they change their mind you got someone to relate to

[jigln]

thanks Starfish, I am calling them tomorrow, but I think I'll email first and wait for the response as you suggest. Cheers.

Anybody know this to be true, that IF your making No Changes, you don't need planning?

[Rheghead]

I think the work needs to be done or started within 3 years from permission being granted.

[Rheghead]

If you are changing the use, or area footprint of the property or drastically changing the cosmetic exterior then you need planning permission. Even if you are tarting an old property up that is sympathetical to how it used to look then it would be wise to get permission.

[tonkatojo]

i would recommend writing to the planning office and get them to answer your questions on paper, we have been in planning office and given advice over the counter . then when we have processsed to do the work we were told we could not do it . so now when ever dealing with the council i always get the answer in writing then when they change their mind you got someone to relate to

Your right, also they never miss a trick to screw money out of you.

[Murdina Bug]

You won't need Planning Permission but you may need a building warrant if you are making any internal changes to layout. The exception would be if the property is in a Conservation Area (parts of Wick and Thurso) in which case you need Planning Permission to even install new windows - which is not required outwith this area.

I agree with the others to get as much in writing as possible as have also found that you get conflicting 'advice' depending on which office/person you speak to. Don't apply for Planning Permission for potential extensions until you need it (or want it in place to show to prospective buyers) as you will need to submit plans and pay the planning fee. The planning fee works on a sliding scale depending on area/value of works. The info is all on the highland.gov.uk website but you will have to dig to find it!

Not sure what you mean by putting 'residential' like that. If there is any query about its status then you should definitely clarify that first. Good luck.

[tonkatojo]

Here is a link to the current building warrant rip off costs.


http://www.highland.gov.uk/download/downloads/id/13353/cost_of_application.pdf

[jigln]

thank you everyone, I appreciate the insight...

Murdina, I stressed 'residential' to emphasis that I am looking at a Normal un-listed, everyday little house/cottage, that though a flippen derelict mess, it IS, Always was and is only a residence, a normal living house...

I don't plan on changing anything, just gut it, clean it up, and refit what was there... kitchen, doors, windows, that sort of thing. that is why I asked these questions, it's my understanding you Don'T need planning for such.

[Southern-Gal]

It would depend on when it was last lived in and council tax paid on it I think. Over eight years and it has lost its residential status is my understanding.