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We have almost completed the renovation of house with a large garden in Southport, the overall plot size is 57m x 22m with the house sitting on the edge. We want to maximise the plot and need some advice on planning and developing but don't know where to start. Any advice?

Hi Geoff....You could start off by reading the Local Plan for that area ( available online from the council's website or to read at their planning depts. office).....If you think further development of the site would conform to policy then arrange a meeting with a planning officer to discuss your proposals......Even if you get a negative response it may well be worth discussing with a local architect for an opinion.....If it's considered a planning application to be worthwhile then architectural drawings will need to be submitted but even if you get a refusal, you could pursue by engaging a planning consultant to represent an appeal........Trevor Dennington ( Land Planning Associates) used to post on S.P. and works on a no win- no fee basis if he thinks there is a reasonable chance of success.

Good Luck....Bill

Hi Bill, thanks for that. is there a qualification or association to lookout for from an arcitect?

Thanks

Geoff

There is RIBA ( Royal Institute of British Architects) but I think members are obliged to charge fees set down by the Institute whereas for small developments you may only need the services of an architectural designer....look in your local Yellow Pages.

Bill

Geoff, most architects will be registered with some type of national body. If I were you there are 2 approaches I could follows:

1) I would draft an email outlining your query and send it to 3 architects local to you asking for their recommendations and professional fees. You will quickly sift those that knwo what they are doing.

2) I have often found architects also by contacting the local planning authority and asking which architects they deal with the most - by using these you know they are aware of local planning policies and developmental guidelines, and if things get sticky they know who to speak to and get any issues sorted.

this is the relevant local plan

http://www.sefton.gov.uk/devplan/local_plan/plan_index.htm

find you plot using the proposal maps link and then read the policies that apply and read the housing chapter to give an idea of what they think

use this

http://seftonmaps.sefton.gov.uk/SeftonMaps/html/SeftonMaps.html?theme=PlanningApplications

to see what else has been granted in the area

frankly i would not send in deatiled plans, in my experience it just gives the planners more information with which to refuse an application, go for OPP unless you are obliged to submit a full application.

if you apply, to 'build a house' and there is nothing in the local plan that precludes it there is very little for the Council to refuse your application on as you have not provided any further info. All this can be done under reserved matters later. The Council have to follow plan policies, policy H10 is a fairly vague catch all policy and reading it the Council can refuse every single applcation if it wanted to citing that policy as the reason!

also they say they wnat 350 propeties built a year and monitor that.... find out how many they have done do far this year.....

Architects... hhmmm, getb them to do the minimum,

you could runit by Trevor Dennington, he will appraise the site for a reasonable fee 

Rik

Hi Geoff,

Send over a plan, address and/or google earth image and I'd be happy to take a look at it for you.  I have been developing for years and have an extremely good "team" with architect included if necessary

We also sell land on behalf of others in addition to buying ourselves check us at www.landlounge.com

or my new blog at www.lyndonforshaw.co.uk

 cheers

Lyndon 

(07977) 440644 

The process of renovation can be mind-bending. Just when you've decided to refinish the floors before painting the walls--you realize it makes more sense to do walls before floors. Or is it the other way around? Do you begin to see the problems? When renovating a house, there is an infinite number of ways to skin a cat. But following is one suggested whole house renovation timeline.

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