Category Archives: Planning

Topics relating to planning issues for Log cabins as houses and use as garden buildings, granny annexes and home offices.

Services related to planning

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On this page, we will list companies and details related to planning consent, dealing with miscellaneous items, such as ecology of an area, protected trees etc. As we fill this page, we may split it down into service areas, but for now, please see below. If you are planning consultant or looking for one, please see our planning consultants directory (consultants can be added free of charge). If you wish to be listed here or on the directory, please contact us.

Small tree, ecology and landscape survey and consultancy company

Ascerta Consulting Ltd
Alexandra Business Park
Prescot Road St Helens
Merseyside
WA10 3TP

Contact:
Alistair McLeod (Managing Director)
T: 0845 463 4404 M: 07889 163 438 F: 0845 463 4405
E: alistair@landscapetreesecology.com
W: www.landscapetreesecology.com

In a nutshell, we are a small tree, ecology and landscape survey and consultancy company with a heavy focus on helping our clients achieve their objectives. We have been involved in a wide variety of projects in the past and have a knack for seeing solutions to problems where others might not. There is a plethora of legislation and red tape surrounding development, trees and ecology and we are more than capable of providing the survey and consultancy expertise to assist with projects from planning stage through to completion. Specifically in respect of log cabins, there may be occasions where sites are constrained by trees or protected species (bats, badgers & great crested newts for example); these are all areas that we can help with by establishing what is there and what solutions might be achievable in order to help the client achieve their objectives.

We are happy to travel to even the most remote of places having been involved in projects across the length and breadth of the UK and into Ireland in the past.

Planning consultants UK directory

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This is just a quick post to make you aware of our planning consultants’ directory. We started this directory in order to help our clients get the best possible outcome from their planning applications. In our opinion, we would never go for a planning application, or even application where permitted development was not clear, without a consultant on board, if it were for a new build or similar.

So far we have listings in Hertfordshire, Cambridgeshire and now for planning consultants in Kent.

Planning consultants will often give a free consultation as to the worth of the application before you even go for planning and they will guide you through the process and deal with the council’s on your behalf if you hire their services. This presents a professional representation of your case to the local council in question and also means that planning officers’ questions are answered swiftly and objections dealt with expeditiously by your planning consultant. That fact alone will make it more likely that objections will be swept aside using local presidents and rules or decisions, which you would otherwise be unaware of.

If you have anything to add here and have had either good or bad experiences with planning consultants (or are indeed a consultant who wishes to make a contribution here) then please let us know below. Thank you for reading!

What to do with KIPPERS in your home?

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KIPPERS (Kids In Parents’ Pockets Eroding Retirement Savings)

We probably all know someone who either has or had an older child at home. Some wit, came up with the acronym KIPPERS to describe these individuals, KIPPERSwho in their late twenties or early thirties are still living in their parent’s homes.  It is reportedly becoming more commonplace as house prices remain doggedly determined to stay high, it becomes more difficult to find decent first time mortgages and pay-rises fail to keep pace with inflation.

Older children and those returning from  University may want a bit more personal space (as indeed might the parents!) and a possible option is to have alternative accommodation for them at home, while they get their first mortgage deposit together.

What to do with your KIPPERS?
One option might be to convert part of the house, like the garage. But that is not an option, and you have a large garden, then a well insulated garden room (often called a granny annexe) might provide a great opportunity to give your child that first taste of a little independence as they get older and you can often user permitted development to satisfy the extra accommodation needs as your house starts to creak at the seams!

What are your experiences?
Do you have an older child at home and if so, have you considered giving them space in an annexe or room in the garden? Maybe you’ve actually done this? Please let us know your story!

Further reading:
Permitted development, in Layman’s terms  | Permitted development | Granny annexes | Permitted development, outbuildings

(Reference: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/KIPPERS )

Buy log cabins

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What is the process of buying log cabin homes or smaller log cabins? With log cabin homes   you need to consider planning permission, and so have to go through the normal route of planning applications.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UPZxqAdFvFo&feature=plcp[/youtube]

There are situations where full planning is not necessary, and permitted development rules apply such as with certain garden buildings and some granny annexes – see our granny annexe range article.

Log cabin in the gardenOnce you have a site and have spoken with the council and decided which route is appropriate, then you need to choose a model, or talk to us about bespoke log cabins, where we make the cabin to your plans.

Once you have chosen the model and have the relevant permissions, you can contact us to order.

A specification of all items to be delivered will be sent with a contract / order form for larger buildings and a confirmation of order details with smaller buildings. Once you are happy with the details, the next stage is to supply a deposit. Depending upon the project, a deposit of varying size is required and stage payments upon manufacture and delivery of the building. If we are erecting the cabin for you, we will then require payment stages for the build.

An idea of delivery date will be discussed at time of order and this will be tighened up as it gets closer to the date and a definite delivery date can be established. As each cabin is manufactured to order, there is always a delay of some weeks before delivery, as there are many logs to cut and assemble for all but the smallest of cabins. For all cabins you will need to have some sort of foundation work (small log cabins use hard standing / concrete / slabs). We will discuss the requirements with you and smooth the process of you buying and erecting the cabin of your choice, if you require help or are having the cabin erected by us.

Log cabin foundations

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We are often asked about the foundations needed for log cabins. We always provide guidance and specifications for larger log cabins, with the plans, but here are some notes explaining about the different considerations when laying foundations for log cabins.

The video below shows use of concrete piers on a granny annexe building foundation:

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=csul1LsLUYM[/youtube]

Types of foundations for log cabins

Several different types of log cabin foundations; the type you can use is determined by the topology of land, slope, and by soil conditions. For instance, this can be demonstrated with the difference between sloping and flat land.

Sloping sites for buildings

Log cabin foundation - pier typeIf you have a sloping piece of land, a concrete slab, or suspended concrete floor is less practical than doing a pier foundation. This is mainly because, if you consider a sloping ground, you have to do a lot of landscaping to level the ground and once you do that, you will often have a cut into the ground on one side. You then end up with a wall of earth and build a retaining wall to stop moisture coming running down slope onto slab that the building rests upon. On sloping ground, this option is therefore a lot more expensive.

If you build piers, this reduces the landscaping necessary. At the highest point of land, you have the lowest piers and lowest you have highest piers.  It is a more cost effective solution, as you don’t have to do a lot of landscaping and you don’t use as much concrete, so it is more environmentally friendly too.

Where you have heavy clay under top soil, you have to be careful with pier foundation, as you have to have much wider holes as clay is not a very stable substrate. If you build in limestone it is very stable, although you then have problems of digging holes in rock, but you don’t have to go down too far.

So, for sloping ground the pier is often the best option. Second best is to level out and build a retaining wall and then for smaller buildings, a decking frame on top of that for building to sit on.

For very small building, then there is less work to level the ground (such as with a 3 x 3 metre cabin), but as you get to larger structures, such as 8 x 15 metres, you have to move huge amounts of soil.

 

Level sites make the better option

On a level site, you can use a concrete slab, but you must take account of the soil substrate under-ground. Especially with larger buildings you have to be careful that foundation depths are correct. With clay soil, with significant clay content, you may need to dig out to the clay and put hard core down before you put down the slab and rebar into the slab to give it reinforcement. If it is rock or limestone, its’ a pretty solid base and you can dig out top soil and use a lighter cover of hard core and place the slab on that.

This is not intended as a definitive guide to log cabin foundations, and you will need to judge your foundations depending upon what the building inspector requires.

However, the building inspector will usually have a very good idea of local conditions. They will help to advise you as to what you will need to do. Otherwise, with significant log cabin sizes, you may need to take cores and samples to assess the foundation for your new log cabin.

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Permitted Development

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Before we start, here is a massive disclaimer.  We have written this article as a guide only. We are not planning consultants and we are not responsible for whether or not you are allowed to build in your garden and the information below is we hope a useful starting point. You MUST get an official okay from your council to be sure.

Not everyone knows that you are able to build a log cabin in your garden without too much restriction, up to a point. There are a few basic rules to adhere to when looking at building a log cabin in your garden.

  • Firstly the building must not be more than half the size of your garden curtilage i.e. the size of the plot of land you are going to site it.
  • Secondly, it must be more than 5 metres from your main residence.
  • Thirdly, it must be more than one metre from your boundary line. Although more recent legislation allows it to be right up to your boundary line as long as it is not more than two and a half meters in height.
  • Fourthly, it must be use as an extension of your family activities, i.e. gym, music room or a place for people to sleep over. ( how long is not clear).
  • Finally it must not be used for commercial gain.

Permitted development use as a granny annexe.

(Note from editor, If you’re looking for a granny annexe, please see our new section on granny annexes). There are few grey areas here.

As mentioned above you can use it as an extension of your family activities and having it as a granny annexe is one of those, however and here is the grey area.

If you install BOTH a kitchen and a bathroom then the local authority will look on it as a stand alone building and will require you to apply for planning on it.
You can however have EITHER a bathroom or a kitchen without any issues as there will still be a dependency on the main residence for bathing or cooking and preparing food depending on which one you choose.

It is always best to consult your local planning office to clarify this issue as many individual authorities have a different view of this.

Exceptions:
In some cases the local planning office will look favourable on a granny annexe even with both a bathroom and kitchen where there is seen to be a need to support and look after elderly relatives in their final years, it takes a burden away from the local council and saves them money. You can in such circumstances have a condition of building the granny annexe that states that after the elderly relatives have past on that you will de commission the kitchen and bring the building back to permitted development status.

Permitted development exceptions:

There are few exceptions to all of the above.

If you live in a conservation area then any building that is over ten cubic meters in size will need approval. Ten cubic meters is effectively any building more than two metres by two meters by two metres. So basically any building at all.

Similarly if you live in an area designated as an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty then the same thing usually applies.

If the building will be situated in your garden whereby it is within five meters of a public highway and has cause to obstruct the line of vision then you will need to consult the highways authority and planning department.

In all cases these are general rules which in the vast majority of cases hold true but it is always worth checking with the local department or speaking to an independent planning consultant if you are not sure. See also our articles on Permitted development outbuildings and Permitted development in layman’s terms.

Granny annexe projects required for BBC documentary

We have been approached by The BBC in relation to a possible new documentary.  If you might be interested in taking part, please read on:

Are you thinking about moving an elderly relative in to live closer to
you?  Do you have an elderly relative who is going to move into a granny annexe
within your property? Are you just about to, or are in the process of
having an annex built to house an elderly parent?

The BBC would like to talk to families who are going through this
process as part of their research for a new BBC2 documentary.
Increasingly in the UK more and more families are thinking about moving
in together so that an elderly relative can be close to their family at
a time when they might need a bit more care. BBC2 will be making a
documentary film which will follow this moving in process.  As the BBC
research this subject they are hoping to speak to as many people as
possible in this situation to hear their thoughts. Ultimately the BBC
would like to film with a family in this position but at this stage
there is no commitment to be involved, just a phone conversation would
be very useful.

The BBC would love to talk to you.  If you would be happy to share your
experiences all conversations at this stage are for research purposes
and are in the strictest confidence.

Please contact Jenny Williams: jenny.williams@bbc.co.uk or 020 800 83825

Planning consultants Cambridgeshire

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Many of our customers have planning issues that they need to address, for adding granny annexes, building houses on their land etc.  For this reason, we are constructing a planning consultants directory, listing consultants throughout the UK. To this end, we are also writing blog articles on planning consultant fees, permitted development for outbuildingsetc., and continue to suppliment this with other articles on various counties and planning issues. 

How to choose a planning consultant in Cambridgeshire



There are many to choose from in Cambridgeshire, but as always, we suggest you contact them and make an informed choice:

Garth Hanlon
Savills
Unex House
132-134 Hills Road
Cambridge
Dorset
CB2 2PA
Tel 01223 347000
www.savills.com/planning

Ms Clare Fairweather
Pegasus Planning Group
3 Pioneer Court
Chivers Way
Histon
Cambridge
CB4 9PT
Tel01223 202100
www.pegasuspg.co.uk

Mr Graham Wright
Birketts LLP
Daedalus House
Station Road
Cambridge
Cambridgeshire
CB1 2RE
Tel 01223 326600
www.birketts.co.uk

As Cambridgeshire is a large county, we suggest you also consider whether surrounding counties might have someone closer.

Whoever you choose, we suggest that you ask them for their experience.  Some relevant questions include:

  • What is their relationship like with the local council?
  • What is their success rate?
  • Have they dealt with similar cases to your own? If they have, what was the outcome?
  • Can they give references from satisfied customers?
  • What sort of time scale do they believe the planning should take?
  • What do they believe the likely outcome of your planning application or problem will be?

Initially, you should establish any likely fees that you will incur as a result of a planning consultant’s actions on your behalf.  Make sure that they consult with you at each stage before other professionals are brought in, such as architects. 

We hope that you have found this useful and we wish you good luck in your search for a Cambridgeshire planning consultant.

Planning consultants Hertfordshire

Here is the second in our range of articles to do specifically with listing planning consultants in and around the UK. Previously, we dealt with planning consultants in London and how to choose them.  We have also dealt with planning consultant fees, outlining why you might consider the fees for a consultant worthwhile,  and permitted development for outbuildings, which gives some details and useful links on the subject.

How to choose a Hertfordshire planning consultant

We have given some details here, of consultants we have found, but ask you to look at their track record and acquire references before using them.

Dr Mervyn Miller
Based in Baldock
Hertfordshire
Tel: 01462 742685

Barker Parry Town Planning Limited
Based in Hitchin
Herts
Tel: 01462 420224

Shireconsulting
Based in St Albans
Telephone: 01727 838455

We have decided to highlight particular areas of the country, as we are often asked about planning issues and our first answer to people is that they should generally meet with a  planning consultant.

To this end I am now compiling a list of consultants and working through these, to create a directory, including Hertfordshire. More details will be available shortly within our directory, so please bookmark this blog post and come back shortly for the directory entries. 

Hertfordshire is a large county, and it might be that a consultant within the county is not as close as one, say in Essex, if you happen to be near the border.  For this reason, we have split the counties, but also suggest you look at adjacent ones. 

When speaking to consultants, one thing that has come up is that county boundaries may not be necessarily the best definition of where they can cover.  So consider also our specialism directory, which lists the same consultants, but by their specialist fields.  Within this,  we will be asking the consultants to list their preferred and serviced areas. 

We hope this initial list has been useful, and wish you good luck in your planning and search for the right professional to help you with it!

Planning consultant london

How to choose a planning consultant (London / UK).

First of all, check out your local yellow pages and the search online, to see how established the consultants are. Look for recommendations from land agents or architects and then to check out references.

A few MUST ASK questions.
They need to tell you what experience they have

Ask the planning consultant the following questions:

  • Have they worked in your local planning office? 
    - It’s no good if they have just moved into the area and have no prior contact with your local planning officers.
  • Do they work/live in your area?
    - This is good to know as you want someone who actually knows your street/plot/ field.
  • Can they give you contact details of someone that they have done work for?
     - You only want to hear from people who have had a successful outcome in
    their planning process, it is of no use to talk to someone who has failed to
    get planning, you need to know that his consultant has a winning formula.

They should, in all cases, give you a half an hour for you to explain your
project to them free of charge, and then they can give you a quick idea as
to the likelihood of getting it passed. This can be frustrating as with
many planning issues it’s not always cut and dry.

If you don’t like what they tell you try another one get a second opinion!

But remember using a planning consultant throughout London and the UK is the best way to go.