Planning laws/self build - all that Jazz part 2

[retrodave]

Secondly, I have my beady eye on a 7 acre plot of ancient woodland that is up for 35K. The woodland is said to date to the 1700’s and is home to some rare and endangered species including deer, Kestrels, Falcons and a white stag. The land has a half acre clearing and a wide dirt track road leading to it. Running on the whole looking after animals thing, is it feasible that I could buy the land and apply to make it a protected area – like a reserve, and claim PP for a keepers lodge in the form of a 3 bed house? Or would making it a reserve scupper my plans for PP and have a detrimental effect/make it harder for PP? I don’t want to turn a buck – I would happily manage the woods and look out for the wildlife for the rest of my life for the privilege of living in such a place. Any answers gratefully received. Cheers.

[jake-the-peg]

I would think it very unlikely - it would set a bit of a precident and planners donn;t seem to like setting new precidents.

There was a case in the new forrest - it appeared on Grand Designs years ago and a friend of my wife's worked on it. The guy there was a charcoal burner making his living from managing the woodland and he got permission with some very strict conditions. He needed to be there at all hours to manage the burns

I think you'd similarly have to be making you living from it and show that you needed to be there and couldn't live elsewhere to get planning permission.

I don't think a general statement of managing the woodland and looking out for the wildlife would be likely to cut it

[buildersmate]

I am sure there are many folks with this kind of ideal, but the obstacles are significant.
Going back to my earlier comments, new development in rural areas is almost invariably against local policy - driven by the fact that it is against central Government policy.
The 'reserve' idea is not relevant really in terms of assisting or hindering any application for a residential dwelling. New agricultural dwellings have been built by a few landowners but they will need to be linked to a clear business plan that shows that the agricultural venture is a viable business - mushroom farming, market gardening - you name it, it has been tried.
A new farm/forestry worker's dwelling may also be possible when applied for by a farmer who can demonstrate aneed for a person to be around 24/7 to tend animals.
This doesn't sound like what you have in mind.
I am sure that you can appreciate that the pressure to 'defeat the system designed to protect the rural landscape' is immense. Any application believes it should be a special case. It has been done but the exceptions are few compared to the applications.
Good luck in your learning about this.

[tamborine]

1st objection to residential = fire hazard !

[tamborine]

Sawmill/logging with workshop & temp-container office and caravan; 5y possible dwelling. Or, pigs/boars (to clear land) will satisfy agicultural residence.

[buildersmate]

Fire hazard associated with woodland location? - not relevant.
Sawmill? - maybe - key thing is that it must create work in the rural economy. Note that getting PP for business use (sawmill) does not automatically mean a residential dwelling as well.
Keeping pigs? - sounds feasible.

I should have added that my comments relate to England - planning policy was devolved in Wales and Scotland regional assemblies a while ago and I've no idea what they have done since that is different.

[retrodave]

Hmmmmm, so not so good. Thanks for all the advice guys. Quite a depressing old topic but there is no sense in barking at the moon about it I suppose. Thanks for the answers on my other post as well BM. I'll study all the cases I can get my mits on, and have a lok for the Local Plan for some guidance. In the mean time, I'll keep looking out for land that looks suitable (Brown field sites, old farm land with out buildings etc) and save harder than ever for a deposit/loan booster.

[McMouse]

Buy the land and claim you are a Traveller. That way you can do what you like, pay no taxes
and do a bit of local thieving.

[buildersmate]

Yes, that technique does seem to have been successful for a few travellers. Oh and they have managed to get a place to live without PP as well.

[bushbaby_de]

Retrodave,

notwithstanding the signiticant planning obstacles relating to the plot you have idenitifed, if you go ahead with this or any other site it is sometimes possible to make an officer subject to grant of planning permission - so if you don't get it you haven't wasted the money on the site.

[buildersmate]

Should read 'make an offer subject to grant of planning permission'.

[bushbaby_de]

Haha thanks buildersmate, quite right!!!