Houses per Acre
Discussion
Not sure if this is the right forum for this but apologies if not.
I have only just found out that a piece of land that my wife inherited some years ago is in an area where the new Local Plan is being formulated.
We only have until 19th December to submit details of the land and need to include details of how many units we propose.
This is a circa 5 acre plot on the edge of a village (unlikely we will get permission as been declined several times in the past but worth a go) and I just need to know a realistic number of units per acre. Any ideas?
I have only just found out that a piece of land that my wife inherited some years ago is in an area where the new Local Plan is being formulated.
We only have until 19th December to submit details of the land and need to include details of how many units we propose.
This is a circa 5 acre plot on the edge of a village (unlikely we will get permission as been declined several times in the past but worth a go) and I just need to know a realistic number of units per acre. Any ideas?
VX Foxy said:
Up to 10/acre as a rule of thumb, but will depend on the style/density of neighbouring of properties.
The government specifies a minimum density for housing (to ensure that suitable land, which is in short supply, is used to its full potential).The minimum is set in a document called PPS3 and under normal circumstances is 30 dwellings per hectare (see page 17 on the linked document), which is equivalent to a smidgen over 12 dwellings per acre.
The guidance that came before PPS3 (a document called PPG3) set an absolute minimum of 30DPH, but PPS3 relaxes that somewhat by saying that you can go to lower density if you can justify it in terms of the charateristics of the area.
If you're on the fringe of an existing settlement, I'd be aiming towards the lower end of PPS3 density range (ie 12-14 dwellings per acre), unless your market reseach leads you to believe that lower density would be more profitable, in which case it would be up to your Architect or Planning Consultant to make a case to the Local Planning Authority.
Note that it also says (paragraph 50) that existing density should not necessarily dictate the density of new development, so you have the opportunity to twist the argument whichever way suits you best.
Edited by Sam_68 on Monday 15th December 13:29
Scawie said:
That's crazy, don't people have gardens anymore?
What's a garden?? As Sam68 mentioned, your architect or Planning Consultant should be able to help, or I would suggest talking to the Parish Council and see what their view is.. It may be that they would welcome a small development occuring or indeed obtaining some community space, i.e. an updated village hall, play area or sports pavilion, etc... If you can get them onside it will help. I'd then suggest talking to the Planning Officer for the village and attempt to glean from them how many dwellings they would be happy to see in the area...
Is it a conservation area, area of outstanding natural beauty or greenbelt?
If you're local I may be able to offer some local advice, but see you're in East Mids.. So probably not. I could possibly make myself available for a visit on Thursday. PM me if interested.
Thanks to all for the replies.
The piece of land is in Hertfordshire near Tring.
The deadline for submission is this Friday.
This piece of land is just inside the Greenbelt border and in an area of ONB albeit there are mitigating circumstances that may allow those issues to be laid aside. e.g. the piece of land borders existing council built dwellings on 2 sides.
The main reason for refusal in the past has been the argument that it would extend the curtledge (sp?) of the village. However, looking at the plan on their website it would appear that this land bridges between the last house where they say the village boundary lies and a row of about a dozen houses that lie outside of the village.
It is still only a slim chance that we may obtain acceptance as a build site but worth a shot.
The piece of land is in Hertfordshire near Tring.
The deadline for submission is this Friday.
This piece of land is just inside the Greenbelt border and in an area of ONB albeit there are mitigating circumstances that may allow those issues to be laid aside. e.g. the piece of land borders existing council built dwellings on 2 sides.
The main reason for refusal in the past has been the argument that it would extend the curtledge (sp?) of the village. However, looking at the plan on their website it would appear that this land bridges between the last house where they say the village boundary lies and a row of about a dozen houses that lie outside of the village.
It is still only a slim chance that we may obtain acceptance as a build site but worth a shot.
Ah, the old curtilage chestnut... It's rolled out, until a commercial developer comes along and pays a hefty 106 payment...
Greenbelt, it's either in it, or it isn't I'm afraid... Sounds like it's in it.
Is it covered by the CAONB? ah ha! it is, I would make strong reference to the Chilterns Area of Outstanding Natural
Beauty Buildings Design Guide. Any properties you outline should be built with this in mind.
I re-iterate, I would attempt to talk to your local Parish Council and gain their approval of a development, although granted
you don't have much time to do this!! At least if you pave the way and make all the right noises you could get them to be positive
about the development and possibly offer a trade of something for the community..
ETA : Definitely worth a shot, but please ensure that you present it in the right manner and use the right wording.. If either of those are lacking then it may well quickly turn them off... I would also enter into discussion with them, but be prepared to go through some hoops.. Of course some hoops are "dummy" ones... and others are real ones which should be jumped through or at least addressed in some fashion..
HTH
Greenbelt, it's either in it, or it isn't I'm afraid... Sounds like it's in it.
Is it covered by the CAONB? ah ha! it is, I would make strong reference to the Chilterns Area of Outstanding Natural
Beauty Buildings Design Guide. Any properties you outline should be built with this in mind.
I re-iterate, I would attempt to talk to your local Parish Council and gain their approval of a development, although granted
you don't have much time to do this!! At least if you pave the way and make all the right noises you could get them to be positive
about the development and possibly offer a trade of something for the community..
ETA : Definitely worth a shot, but please ensure that you present it in the right manner and use the right wording.. If either of those are lacking then it may well quickly turn them off... I would also enter into discussion with them, but be prepared to go through some hoops.. Of course some hoops are "dummy" ones... and others are real ones which should be jumped through or at least addressed in some fashion..
HTH
Edited by ginettag27 on Tuesday 16th December 11:57
ginettag27 said:
Greenbelt, it's either in it, or it isn't I'm afraid... Sounds like it's in it.
Slightly O/T but we live in an SSI (area of specific scientific interest) and my neighbour has a paddock which is actually part of the SSI.Under the current rules he's not even permitted to plant it up as 'garden' - it has to be either grass or heathland - but the question for the experts here is, could tyhis be turned over in future to allow it to be built on?
Digga said:
Under the current rules he's not even permitted to plant it up as 'garden' - it has to be either grass or heathland - but the question for the experts here is, could this be turned over in future to allow it to be built on?
It depends on why it's been designated a SSSI. But the short answer is that it's unlikely and would involve a very expensive battle with Natural England... they'd want an extremely thorough report from a qualified ecologist, demonstrating that the land had no special ecological value, before they's overturn its current status.Sam_68 said:
Digga said:
Under the current rules he's not even permitted to plant it up as 'garden' - it has to be either grass or heathland - but the question for the experts here is, could this be turned over in future to allow it to be built on?
It depends on why it's been designated a SSSI. But the short answer is that it's unlikely and would involve a very expensive battle with Natural England... they'd want an extremely thorough report from a qualified ecologist, demonstrating that the land had no special ecological value, before they's overturn its current status. AONB MP said:
designated as an AONB in 1958 because of its beautiful landscape, its wildlife and its history...is the largest surviving area of lowland heathland in the Midlands
As the paddock is behind us and above us, any building on there would overlook all others on our road and the neighbouring lane and would spoil the view from the heathland itself - the latter piont I guess would be the final nail in the coffin?Interested purely from a NIMBY viewpoint of course!
AONB's are a completely different thing, and sometimes easier to deal with - my girlfriend and her next door neighbour have both extended their gardens into what was previously a paddock in the Cotswolds AONB, simply by submitting a change of use application.
The first thing to do is read the AONB Management Plan, which will form part of your local Planning Authority's Local Plan (usually available online, these days). This will tell you the policies/stategies they have adopted for management and protection of the character of the AONB, from which you will get a fair idea of how flexible they are.
The first thing to do is read the AONB Management Plan, which will form part of your local Planning Authority's Local Plan (usually available online, these days). This will tell you the policies/stategies they have adopted for management and protection of the character of the AONB, from which you will get a fair idea of how flexible they are.
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