A few years back when a close member of family died I inherited a small bit of land in Dorset. Its not much and its too far from me to do anything with on a regular basis (camping to go riding or growing veg etc).

I'm thinking about getting planning permission with a view building a small house on it – ideally so I can secure it and have a small place to get away at the weekends with the kids and visit the seaside etc. Although I may just get the permission and sell the land depending on how much it costs to develop it.

Anyone got any advice on what I need to do to progress this? Who is the best person to speak to about it?

Have a look on the planning portal and the local authority website. You could also give the local planning office a call and they should give you an idea how likely they are to grant permission.

2nd nickjb

Talk to the local planning department and they'll be able to give you an indication as to how likely they are to grant planning permission.

If you're minded to sell it, obtaining outline planning permission for a dwelling (agreement in principle) may increase the land's value.

Good luck with your little corner of paradise.

Hope the land doesn't fall under East Dorset District Council? My parents went through 3 years of applications, appeals, legal wranglings etc before finally getting to keep their conservatory after one of the planners launched a vendetta against them!

If it is EDDC, be careful – the planning dept have far too much time on their hands, and specialise in being awkward t*ats 🙄

How do I know if its EDDC? I know my mum (whose land it was) tried for years to get permission. The last we heard was that they had a strategy in place which ran out in 2011 so I'm hoping to make some early advances to see whats what. As we knew about this strategy I've not done anything with the land in the 5yrs I've had it.

Where abouts is it (approx)?

Just near Crossways, east of Dorchester.

Just been on the planning portal and seems there is a new sheriff in town and he's put in place a new strategy. 🙂

I know my mum (whose land it was) tried for years to get permission

That doesn't sound very promising. You might be able to park a caravan on it

If you're minded to sell it, obtaining outline planning permission for a dwelling (agreement in principle) may increase the land's value.

Understatement of the year.

If you're going to stand any chance of getting planning permission for a dwelling the land will need to be within a settlement boundary as defined in the Local Plan (or Local Development Framework in the unlikely event of the local authority having progressed their new plan to adoption).

It should be possible to find that out from the Council's website.

If I could get hardstanding on the land I'd be well pleased. If I could get planning permission and sell it I'd be proper happy.

Best of luck!

Email me if you end up needing a planning consultant. We got there in the end, thanks mainly due to a change in the planning regs relating to development in greenbelt. That really pissed the planners off, especially when we invited the head of the planning dept to dinner in the parents new conservatory that they had been trying to make them demolish! 😆

Email me if you want some free planning advice – I'd be happy to do a quick check using web sources – I'm a planning consultant. 😯

LOL @ MMTM

While obtaining permission/complying with planning regulations can be a pain for developers large and small; it's those same regulations that help us to maintain distinctive regional landscapes and urban environments.

Imagine the situation if anyone could build whatever they wanted wherever they wanted. In general I think planners are a force for good. But then I would say that. I trained as one.

I know Gritty – I want to work with them to make sure any plans are in keeping with the area and are something that is friendly to the environment.

As a planner, we're not all bad you know, although there are quite a few jobsworths out there. Mainly, planning acts in the public interest – if someone wnated to build a wind farm on your doorstep you might be grateful of some local authority planner trying to protect you from it. As someone above said, if its outside a development limit, your proposal seems unlikely, otherwise we'd all be building little houses everywhere and there wouldn't be any countryside left.

jrm – I agree, but this is a piece of land in a village opposite a quarry with houses either side of it. I'd like to think it's a good candidate. But I'm not a planner so I'm bound to think that.

Stick a caravan, a burnt out car and a rabid dog on it and tell them you are a person inclined to travel/sell scrap/steal/beat up locals and you'll be fine. 😉

Planners,local councils etc are all a bunch of do gooder jealous toss pots who never want anyone to make anything out of anything. Thats better. Spleen vented due to first hand experience, also watch out for the parish knobs as well coz they like to stick in random objections too. Oh and best of luck!

Yeah, some has stuck a tree preservation order on some of the trees already 🙁 been told copper nails sort this out.

TPO are a good thing IMHO*, developer wanted to wipe out a small woodland at the rear of my property, woodland safe for now. They appealed against it to Scottish exec. Thankfully they agreed with me.
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*not a tree hugger tho

I always laugh about NIMBYs who then moan when the boot's on the other foot.
Like all things do your research, find out what is likely to be allowed and don't make wild accusations.

Just been told we need planning for our extension, we want to match what next door have built recently, without planning permission within their permitted development rights (3 metres etc) turns out theirs was built to 3027mm so as we want to match it we need planning permission, for 27 fricking mm!

Well, if they've recently built it and it's oversized put in a formal complaint to the planning department and force them to apply for retrospective permission or get it torn down.
Alternatively find another place to measure from or just put the same dims on the drawing and make sure that your builder makes the bit that they'll check is the right size.

I'm keen to find out what is acceptable but have no idea how to get this info 🙁

Just ring up the local planning office – when I have done it I have found them to be very helpful.

should come under West Dorset then if its Crossways – experience of them has been fairly positive (but then that was objecting to a neighbours plans to turn their garage into a light industrial unit (garage about 12 foot from main living area of my folks old home) when my folks lived in that village).

Might have to watch out for objections from the parish council and certain busybody members of the local community there – from experience they can be right t++ts for the sake of it

Well, if they've recently built it and it's oversized put in a formal complaint to the planning department and force them to apply for retrospective permission or get it torn down.
Alternatively find another place to measure from or just put the same dims on the drawing and make sure that your builder makes the bit that they'll check is the right size.

We get on really well with them so actually hope the planner doesn't put two & two together and realise theirs needs retrospective permission, it's just a bind we have to apply rather than chance having to apply retrospectively.

Bushwacked – have dropped you a line. Don't get too excited…. 😕

Hamish – YGM. Will have a good look tomorrow but thanks a million for the input. Much much appreciated.