For a lot of self builders, the concept of swapping the city hustle and bustle for rolling inexperienced fields, recent air, and countless views could be very interesting.
If you begin attempting to find land, if that is your dream, it doesn’t take lengthy earlier than agricultural land pops up in your radar. Farmland is affordable, in plentiful provide and on the face of it, filled with potential.
However there’s a catch as agricultural land has growth restrictions. So, are you able to construct a home on it? The reply will not be simply, and this text explains why.
Agricultural land outlined
Put merely, agricultural land is land used for farming crops, livestock, or different types of meals manufacturing. Agricultural land is taken into account a significant nationwide useful resource, and planning coverage is designed to guard it.
It is graded from 1 (glorious) to five (very poor), with Grade 1 and a couple of land thought-about “greatest and most versatile” and is particularly safeguarded. In observe, although, when most individuals discuss constructing on “agricultural land,” they’re actually speaking about fields within the open countryside – low-cost, scenic land distant from cities and villages, which is the crux of the issue.
Agricultural land nearly at all times sits exterior what planners name the “settlement boundary.” These boundaries outline the extent of settlements and are used to guard rural land and forestall city sprawl. Land that sits exterior of this line is designated as open countryside – and the foundations for growing it are far stricter. Even when the land seems empty or unused, below planning coverage the presumption is in opposition to residential growth.
When are you able to get planning permission?
To construct a home on agricultural land, you’ll want planning permission and particularly, a change of use from agricultural to residential.
Securing this consent will not be straightforward. Native planning authorities (LPAs) are sure by nationwide and native insurance policies, most of which limit constructing within the open countryside, until there’s a robust justification.
Planning departments will assess functions intimately. They’ll contemplate the visible influence on the agricultural panorama, whether or not the placement is sustainable (i.e, near retailers, colleges, and companies), and whether or not infrastructure like roads and footpaths can be found.
Most functions are refused as a result of they don’t meet these standards and planners will look to uphold planning coverage supposed to forestall encroachment of growth. Because of this even for those who suppose discover a plot that appears perfect for a house, with out a compelling purpose for constructing there – comparable to a real agricultural want – the possibilities of gaining consent are slim.
Assuming this hasn’t put you off, and you continue to need to construct within the open countryside, there are nonetheless a couple of approaches price contemplating.
Class Q permitted growth
Class Q permitted growth rights permits sure agricultural buildings to be transformed into dwellings and is widespread with self builders seeking to construct one thing distinctive.
Nonetheless, Class Q isn’t a magic shortcut because it solely applies to buildings that had been in agricultural use on or earlier than 20 March 2013. The construction should even be able to conversion with out main reconstruction – so solely barns in an affordable situation are appropriate, and falling-down sheds ought to be prevented.
Consent for a category Q barn conversion, is called a “prior approval.” The method is barely totally different to making use of for full planning software for say a brand new dwelling, however the council will nonetheless assess key points like entry, design, noise, and environmental influence.
There are strict limitations with regards to Class Q and it doesn’t apply in areas like Nationwide Parks, Areas of Excellent Pure Magnificence (AONBs), Inexperienced Belts, or Websites of Particular Scientific Curiosity. Crucially, you possibly can’t construct a brand new dwelling below Class Q – you possibly can solely convert the present barn, so if there’s no constructing already on web site, this route isn’t an possibility.
Exception alternatives
Whereas planning guidelines are strict, they’re not completely rigid and in some circumstances, LPAs could help growth on agricultural land if it meets sure standards.
Some councils have “rural exception web site” insurance policies that enable restricted housing on land adjoining to sustainable settlements – villages with fundamental facilities like a store, a college, or a bus route. These insurance policies are often supposed to fulfill native housing want, so that you’ll must reveal that it meets a set standards and is an effective possibility.
In some locations, infill growth could also be allowed, notably if the infill plot sits between two current homes and fills a small hole in a longtime settlement. This relies solely on the native planning coverage and whether or not the settlement is taken into account sustainable.
There’s additionally the choice of constructing an agricultural employee’s dwelling. If you happen to can show that somebody employed full-time in agriculture genuinely must reside on the positioning for the enterprise to perform, you may have the ability to get permission. These houses include what’s referred to as an “agricultural tie,” and so aren’t appropriate for normal housing. As a result of they’re restricted to agricultural staff, lenders contemplate them much less beneficial, which could imply the numbers don’t stack up.
One of many extra formidable choices is to use for permission below Paragraph 84 of the Nationwide Planning Coverage Framework. This permits remoted new houses within the countryside if they’re of really distinctive architectural high quality. The bar is excessive – the house have to be progressive, delicate to its setting, and lift requirements of design. These functions are uncommon, costly, and sometimes refused, so don’t get too excited. However for the suitable plot and deep sufficient pockets, it may be carried out.
Influencing planning choices
When planners assess a proposal, in addition to wanting on the plot itself, they’ll additionally contemplate the broader image – how your scheme aligns with housing wants, native priorities, and nationwide planning aims.
Self builders can level to wider planning insurance policies comparable to the suitable to construct laws or authorities insurance policies for rising housing provide and delivering houses the place they’re genuinely wanted.
Some councils are grappling with shortages of reasonably priced houses, or housing for key staff, and in some circumstances, planning functions on agricultural land have been authorised on attraction as a result of they helped meet these wants, notably the place brownfield land wasn’t obtainable.
Proper to construct laws
The Proper to Construct laws can probably give better weight to self construct functions. The laws requires LPAs to maintain a register of people and teams taken with constructing their very own dwelling.
If the council is below stress to fulfill self construct demand, by demonstrating that there’s an undersupply of plots, they could possibly be inspired to help rural functions for self builds, together with edge-of-settlement websites.
Agricultural land to keep away from
Sadly, the countryside dream has spawned a number of dodgy land sale schemes so do not make this plot shopping for mistake.
Be extraordinarily cautious of plots carved out of fields and marketed with phrases like “topic to planning” or “future growth potential.” These are sometimes basic land banking schemes, the place the the possibility of securing consent is minimal and the one actual goal is to inflate the worth of agricultural land by promoting it as small plots.
Methods that contain cell houses or short-term buildings must also be prevented.
It’s usually prompt that by putting a static caravan or log cabin on the land, the principal of residential growth is “established” and may then be used because the justification of a everlasting consent. In actuality, councils are very alert to those techniques and and received’t enable short-term buildings to grow to be open market housing.
If you happen to get planning consent on agricultural land
If you happen to do handle to safe planning permission, both via an exception coverage, agricultural tie, or barn conversion. What then?
One of many first issues to consider is companies. Agricultural land is never related to the mains, so that you’ll possible must go off-grid – or a minimum of semi-off-grid. This implies putting in photo voltaic panels, PV’s, battery storage, together with warmth pumps.
You’ll additionally must handle waste, sometimes through a sewage therapy plant or septic tank, which should adjust to Constructing Rules and be correctly maintained. Water may additionally want to come back from a borehole or non-public provide and will require therapy. None of that is unattainable – however it provides value and complexity, and while off-grid dwelling may be liberating, it’s not for everybody, and will impair plot values and mortgageability.
So, it’s doable to construct on agricultural land, however solely in particular and tightly managed circumstances. For the common self builder, it’s unlikely to be the best or most easy route as securing planning permission is tough.
However that doesn’t imply it’s unattainable and with the suitable method, a compelling case, and a practical understanding of the planning system, it’s doable to succeed.
Whether or not that’s via a Class Q barn conversion, rural exception web site, or perhaps a Paragraph 84 dwelling of remarkable architectural high quality.
So, for those who’re critical about constructing on agricultural land, do your homework and search skilled help. The countryside generally is a fantastic place to reside – however getting there may be hardly ever easy. Alternatively, take at these different strategies for locating a plot and ensure you find the money for put aside for the true prices of constructing a home.
