Sunday 10 June 2012

Rural Housing Opportunities after the NPPF

Since the coming in to operation of the National Planning Policy Framework (March 2012) my e-service helpline has been deluged with (well, has received quite a few) queries asking about the opportunity to build new dwellings in the countryside.

“I have a field with a derelict barn in it and want to build a four bedroom house with triple garage and stabling”.

“I am thinking of buying a small paddock and would like to build a house in one corner”.

That sort of thing.

The hysteria whipped up by those national organisations - who should have known better (you know who you are) - that the NPPF would open the flood gates to rampant and uncontrolled development in the countryside, simply encouraged people to believe that this would in fact be the case.  

Nothing could be further from the truth. In my opinion this deliberate misrepresentation of the intended position actually drew in the horns of policymakers to an extent that potentially beneficial and otherwise uncontentious opportunities were also excluded in the final draft.

Anyway, to help all those who harbour desires to build that dream home in a leafy glade somewhere in Britain’s green and pleasant land, far from the madding crowd (so to speak) here are a few pointers based on the current planning policy position.

First and foremost, nothing is going to change policy–wise at the local level any time soon. Local authorities may continue to make development control decisions on planning applications having regard to their ‘saved’ local plan policies for at least 12 months; pending the introduction of Core Strategies and other Local Development Framework documents. These saved policies will invariably include a policy limiting residential development in the open countryside outside of a settlement or defined development boundary. They simply reflect longstanding national policy guidance.

The NPPF provides specific guidance on the point too. Paragraph 55 provides that:

55. To promote sustainable development in rural areas, housing should be
located where it will enhance or maintain the vitality of rural communities.
For example, where there are groups of smaller settlements, development in one village may support services in a village nearby. Local planning authorities should avoid new isolated homes in the countryside unless there are special circumstances such as:
the essential need for a rural worker to live permanently at or near their
place of work in the countryside; or
where such development would represent the optimal viable use of a
heritage asset or would be appropriate enabling development to secure
the future of heritage assets; or
where the development would re-use redundant or disused buildings and lead to an enhancement to the immediate setting; or
the exceptional quality or innovative nature of the design of the dwelling.

Such a design should:
be truly outstanding or innovative, helping to raise standards of design more generally in rural areas;
reflect the highest standards in architecture;
significantly enhance its immediate setting; and
be sensitive to the defining characteristics of the local area.

I’m sure the key sentence here will have stood out on its own. Local planning authorities should avoid new isolated homes in the countryside unless there are special circumstances…” So no unfettered residential sprawl in the countryside then? You will have to justify any development against special circumstances some – but not all - of which are listed in that paragraph.

What Can I do?

If there is already a residential dwelling on the land that has not been abandoned (in planning parlance) then securing permission for a replacement dwelling is generally a good deal easier, given that the land use is already established. Just don’t try to turn Mother Hubbard’s one bed cottage into a 25 bed mansion unless you can provide sufficient justification against the ‘exceptional quality’ test. This is essentially what was called the PPG7 or PPS7 house in previous policy contexts. The same applies to putting a dwelling on open land. The chances are slim to nil unless it is a ‘Grand Design’.

If you can demonstrate sufficient ‘need’ related to a rural enterprise then this provides another opportunity. However, although the old ‘functional and financial tests’ have been swept away, my opinion is that authorities are still going to apply similar tests. How else can you justify need?

Heritage and agricultural buildings that are redundant and suitable for conversion (i.e. without punching too many holes in the structure) will be considered suitable, but look out for the caveats.

As far as heritage buildings are concerned the residential use has to be determined as the optimal viable use OR would act as enabling development in relation to other heritage assets. I have spent a deal of my time securing permissions for just this sort of development and sustaining heritage assets (whether Listed or not) is both worthwhile and achievable so long as you approach the application in the right way.

For redundant and disused buildings the requirements are generally that they can be converted without too much alteration. Any scheme that effectively requires demolition and/or substantial rebuilding is unlikely to be supported; unless perhaps this would result in significant enhancement of the immediate setting. Either way enhancement of the immediate setting is a pre-requisite. So an open-sided dutch barn is not going to get you very far, but a decent stone or brick barn with doors and window openings that can be adapted without too much external alteration is likely to be more successful.

And what of the future? My opinion is that few authorities will loose the opportunity to replicate limiting policies in their emerging Local Plans. This is common sense really and will help focus development in sustainable ways. However, the ability to bring redundant buildings back into beneficial residential use is to be supported and encouraged.

I have not looked here at developments proposed in villages and defined settlements – that is for another time.

If you are looking to buy a rural idyll then make sure there is scope to fulfill the requirements of the NPPF and any Local Plan policy. I’d recommend you secure planning permission for your new abode first before buying (but make the contract subject to planning of course).

If you have a planning proposal you can contact me via the e-service at: http://www.ruralurbanplanning.co.uk/eservice.htm

A full copy of the NPPF can be found on my website at:


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