Permitted Rural Development in the United Kingdom - Planning Permission

Hi Everyone,
this is my first posting to this forum, although i've been reading the posts, and loving them, for years.

I live in the UK and have made the decision to buy some acres (anything between 3 to 10) and get permitted rural development planning permission for them to build a home.

My question is, has anyone else reading this forum done this? Planning permission for a dwelling in the UK is almost impossible to get on agricultural land, but if you present a decent business plan for an agriculture business and a sound explanation of why you need to live on the land, the planning permission is often granted.

I want to start an organic, permaculture-based market garden, growing vegetables to sell at farmers markets in North London and Cambridgeshire. I would use livestock in a permaculture sense to help manage the land, and keep the by-products for my family. I'd love any advice on how i can present the best case for needing to live on the land - i.e. be there for frost protection, growing plants from modules, hardening them off etc. I'd also love to hear from anyone in the UK who might have been through this process, who could maybe give some advice?

To buy a smallholding here costs upwards of £500,000. I can buy five acres of land in the region of £100,000 and put a caravan on it, and with two small children and little money this is my only option to make the dream happen!

thanks everyone,
Anna

When I was chasing this over ten years ago, one of the criteria was to the proposed business be likely to generate a 'living wage', which was then considered to be £10,000 a year. Plus you had to demonstrate why you needed to be on the land.

I'm not sure how things have changed, but maybe that will help point you in the right direction.

Burra Maluca wrote:When I was chasing this over ten years ago, one of the criteria was to the proposed business be likely to generate a 'living wage', which was then considered to be £10,000 a year. Plus you had to demonstrate why you needed to be on the land.

I'm not sure how things have changed, but maybe that will help point you in the right direction.

Thanks Burra. Did you get PP? I'm wondering if i can seen any examples of how people demonstrated they needed to be on the land.

Um, no.

But it's much cheaper to buy in Portugal, and the planning is easier here!

Before spending too much money on five acres there, do check about the legalities of putting a caravan on it and attempting to live in it. It might not be as easy as you think. Generally it's ok for 'an agricultural worker', else they limit it to around 14 nights a year. It would be awful to invest everything in land and then be told you couldn't even live on it in a caravan, especially if you've already moved on and you have no-where else to go. And once you have land, you won't qualify for housing benefit. I'd recommend getting a really good business plan going and make sure you're able to demonstrate the required skills. And then maybe just go for it - dreams are there to be chased and caught, even if you end up losing a couple on the way.

From my understanding welfare of livestock can be a reason to have to stay on the land, but it depends on your business plan.

We've only obtained pp for an "agricultural building" in our woods, but could possibly get permission for holiday accomodation/part time dwelling as our woods are visited nearly daily (no increase in traffic), the next field over has a holiday cottage which was converted from a farm building, and we could make a business which includes activities like charcoal burning and livestock.

The best advice I can give is to talk to a local planning officer, or look on the relevant council's website for what they have given permission for locally. And always look for nice neighbours, ones near us basically chased one set of small holders from their land and have tried to do the same to us.

Anna do you have any flexibility about the area in which you live? If so you could get a smallholding for a lot less than £500,000. There are many parts of Scotland and Wales where the prices are substantially cheaper. I realise this may not be an option.