Saunders Rural Solutions

11/05/2023

It's been a hectic few weeks (months?) between the planning and lambing/calving time. And the wellies tell a story all by themselves as to how wet it's been.

Dot, on the other hand, is not phased by any it in the slightest.

02/02/2023

How do I submit a planning application or a prior notification?

If you Google a planning-related query, sooner or later you will get to Planning Portal. A joint venture between the UK government and a private company; Planning Portal was originally founded in 2002 as an entry point to planning information online but become a private entity that works in partnership with the Government in 2015.

While planning applications can be submitted via post to the respective LPA, nearly all of them now encourage people to submit their applications through Planning Portal.

Planning Portal also provides interactive guidance for a lot of common housing-based development, such as extensions, sheds, and garages.

A collection of the planning portal's interactive guides to the planning permission and permitted development regimes for conservatories, extensions, loft conversions, outbuildings and porches.

02/02/2023

Who decides planning applications or prior notifications?

Planning applications are decided by your local planning authority (sometimes abbreviated to LPA). Typically, this is the planning department of your local district or borough council rather than the county council. If you don’t know who that would be, the link below allows you to find out by typing in your postcode.

At the time of writing, a lot of planning departments are dealing with a high number of applications, so an instantaneous response to an email is not always possible. Likewise with phone calls.

I would suggest that, if you need to contact your local planning department, you email them. It also helps keep a paper record if you ever need to refer to it at a later date.

Find your local authority in England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland

02/02/2023

Why do I need planning permission?

You probably need planning permission if you want to build something new, make a major change to an existing building, or change the use.

Doing one of these without planning permission can result in being served an enforcement notice ordering you to undo the changes that have been made. It is illegal to ignore these, and the problem won’t just go away on its own either.

There are ways to deal with enforcement notices that may mean you can keep your changes, but it is generally better to get permission first.

The old saying of it being easier to beg forgiveness than to ask permission does not apply when it comes to planning matters.

Sets out when planning permission is required and different types of planning permission which may be granted.

02/02/2023

This is the first of a series of posts covering Frequently Asked Questions and some basic information that I feel would be beneficial for anyone that is looking to do something with their place.

First of all, what are planning applications?

Planning applications take various forms, including full applications and prior notifications (usually referred to as ‘permitted development’ applications). There are pros and cons to both, as well as alternatives that may be more suitable for your situation. In a nutshell, you need planning permission if you want to build something new, make a major change to an existing building, or change its use.

A lot of definitions and interesting information on various planning matters can be found in Planning Aid’s Knowledge Base via the link below. Planning Aid is a registered charity and part of the Royal Town Planning Institute (RTPI).

DISCLAIMER: Any information provided is not a statement of the law. While every effort has been taken to check the accuracy of any information we provide, the RTPI or Planning Aid England cannot be held liable for any financial loss resulting from the professional advice contained herein. Readers ar...

02/02/2023

Hi, I’m Ryan. I set up Saunders Rural Solutions initially focused on farming, forestry, and other rural development because I grew up in the countryside. Since then, though, I’ve gotten involved with all sorts of planning projects, including sheds and house extensions in small towns to shop renovations a stone’s throw from Buckingham Palace. If you wish to learn more about me or my team, check out my website – my three Springer Spaniels are worth a visit on their own.

www.saundersruralsolutions.co.uk.

Now for the caveats and disclaimers. This information is aimed squarely at those living/working in England and the planning laws that apply here. Scotland, Wales, and Ireland all have their own rules, some of which they share with England, but others are different enough that it is worth checking with someone more familiar with them than me.

Secondly, the information provided on this page, or my website does not constitute planning or legal advice and no liability is accepted from its use. It is based on planning laws as they stand at the time of posting, so it should not be acted upon without first seeking appropriate advice from a properly qualified individual, based on the full details of your own situation. This applies equally to any responses I make to comments and posts online. While every attempt has been made to ensure their accuracy, they do not constitute professional advice and are my personal views only.

Feel free to drop me a DM if you wish to discuss more!

01/08/2022

Today we had a new client enquiring about a possible project and relevant permissions required. It all sounded pretty exciting – for them and for us.

However, starting the background checks, we quickly realised that the prospective site was subject to an article 4 direction as well as being within the and an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty ( ). Despite this, the plot of plan had been advertised as having agricultural, commercial and residential development potential.

In planning terms, an article 4 direction means that permitted development rights have been removed or amended on a parcel of land, something that local authorities only do in exceptional circumstances to protect local amenity or the well-being of the area.

The local authority in question had also been quoted as saying that “planning permission for new residential development is unlikely to be granted.”

Fortunately, we managed to prevent the expensive mistake of purchasing the land, but it is always worth remembering to carry out due diligence not just when buying a new house but also on plots of land with “development potential.”

We may have not gotten the work and we felt sorry for delaying our client’s dreams, but we know that we have acted ethically and prevented them from being victims of an unscrupulous sale.

08/07/2022

Wealden District Council has just announced a revised timetable for their new local plan consultation, citing "there is too much uncertainty currently." After this last week, I believe that is a great example of British understatement.

https://www.wealden.gov.uk/planning-and-building-control/planning-policy/wealden-local-plan-direction-of-travel-consultation/?utm_source=MyAlerts&utm_medium=Email&utm_content=spotlight&utm_campaign=20220708

New Local Plan About the new local plan We are preparing a new local plan for Wealden District, which will replace the current Local Plan. The new Local Plan will provide policies to shape our places, plan and manage growth in the district and guide development over a 15-20 year period. The local pl...

21/06/2022

With 20,000 hectares of woodland creation to go according to The Woodland Trust, I think it’s good to remember that and are not mutually exclusive, with forestry being an opportunity to “maximise business productivity by adding value to underproductive land via woodland creation”, to quote Scottish Forestry.

In one of our recent projects, we have helped create 3.5 hectares of woodland in , and I am convinced that there’s a role for professionals to work together towards such an important goal - now more than ever.

https://lnkd.in/ejYS4yBk

23/09/2021

I'm very excited to share that I have been shortlisted as a finalist in the RICS Matrics Young Surveyor of the Year Awards 2021 in the Land (Rural and Urban) category.

Feeling very proud to have made it this far among so many brilliant colleagues! Best of luck to all the other finalists.

Fingers crossed! 🤞

20/09/2021

Heading rapidly into autumn, wondering what happened to the year, the time has come again for tidying up farms and woodlands.

If you are planning a major tidy-up of any trees on your property, one thing to bear in mind is whether you need a felling licence or permission. Checking if you have any Tree Preservation Orders (TPOs) or if you are located within a Conservation Area is a good first step.

The Forestry Commission provides detailed guidance on how to manage ancient woodlands, which you may need to keep in mind when topping along the field fence line.

https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/689543/Managing_Ancient_Woodland.pdf

The Royal Forestry Society offers some additional resources if you’re curious about what exactly you have growing around you or if you want to learn more.

https://rfs.org.uk/learning/professionaldevelopment/resources/

All information about Felling Licences can be found here https://www.gov.uk/guidance/tree-felling-licence-when-you-need-to-apply

Now to dig out the wellies…

25/08/2021

The first-year anniversary of Saunders Rural Solutions already! Celebrating with cake and a planning application approval seems to be a good way to mark the event.