Wealden Times | WT171 | May 2016 | Restoration & New Build supplement inside
Wealden Times - The lifestyle magazine for the Weald
Wealden Times - The lifestyle magazine for the Weald
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WT Supplement<br />
FreeImages.com/Max Mitenkov<br />
Planning a grand design?<br />
For many people, buying a plot of land and building their own home is a dream scanario<br />
– but one that you should be prepared for, says property expert Jonathon Dixon...<br />
Check on the planning status Has there ever been<br />
a residential dwelling on the site or is there one already? You<br />
can check on the planning status by contacting the local<br />
authority via their website. Or, it may be possible to pay for<br />
some pre-application planning advice from the local planning<br />
department, either via written correspondence or a meeting.<br />
The benefits of engaging a suitably qualified planning<br />
consultant should not be underestimated. Assuming the<br />
site has potential for residential use, ie, a replacement<br />
dwelling or conversion of an existing building, or some kind<br />
of in-fill development (within the confines of the existing<br />
built development)... you should consider the other physical,<br />
legal and practical constraints which the site may have eg.<br />
how accessible are services? And if they are not already laid on<br />
to the site, what would be the cost of providing mains water<br />
and electricity and potentially, mains drainage. Consider<br />
whether services would need to be laid through third-party<br />
land, and the potential cost implications for doing so.<br />
Bear in mind whether there is any existing<br />
utilities infrastructure on the site This may<br />
include pipes or cables below the ground, which would<br />
hinder construction. The cost of diverting such infrastructure<br />
could be substantial. One should carry out a utilities search,<br />
contacting the relevant providers, and also consult the<br />
property deeds for rights, in, on or over land held by third<br />
parties. On site, it may still be necessary to carry out a survey<br />
of any underground pipes and cables in order to ascertain<br />
their exact position.<br />
Although a site may have planning consent,<br />
overriding legal complications may need to<br />
be considered One example would be a covenant which<br />
restricts the nature of development and other issues include<br />
rights to light in favour of neighbouring properties. Access<br />
is an issue that may be overlooked particularly where a<br />
property does not directly abut a public highway.<br />
<br />
23 www.wealdentimes.co.uk
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