change of usage, planning permission?

Glaucus

Glaucus

Glaucus

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There's load of shops, warehouse, workshops in and around Bristol which are very cheap. I also know you can apply for change of use even if your not the owner, but they do tell the owner. So you have to agree a price before hand ect. But how difficult is it, do they reject most change of use applications?

Anyone have any idea or have done it?
 
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dirtydog said:
You thinking of buying a shop and turning it into a home?
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looking into it, I haven't got a large budget and any house I did buy I would want to gut it anyway.

All though some of the workshops look better, Would be great for an open planned house with big garage complete with pits and everything.
 
you can apply to do this without the owners permission but you will need the permission of the owner to carry out the works.

it might sound a good idea but it can be v hard to get change of use.

also consider why the current owners have not gone down that route?

why not try and buy it off the owners anyway? do a land registry search and find out who owns them. you can do this online for a few quid a time. send them a letter and see if they will sell.

you may find the council owns them, it happens a lot when i look at investments in london.
 
If you're not the owner, you will have to notify the owner (and any relevant neighbours) of your application. This is a legal obligation. Which as you say may increase the price of the land/property (especially if planning permission is obtained for a higher value use such as residential), but this is not a planning consideration. If the premises are presently shops and/or warehouses, they are normally measures in place to safeguard existing uses where they are a viable part of the area.

There is rarely certainty within the English planning system about the your prospects of obtaining Change of Use Consent. However, through your Local and Structure Plans/Development Frameworks (obtainable from your Local Authority's website: Bristol City Council: Planning ) you can look to see what uses are designated for that area; which will indicate on the potential to change an existing use. In addition to this, you can normally use supplementary guidance (if available), submit a pre-application enquiry (which is free to do, and is essentially a 'scoping' study on the feasibility of a planning application to provide more certainty should you wish to proceed with a full application) or call a Planning Officer directly for an informal chat.

If you need any more information or help, I'd be happy to do so :).
 
Do you know what exactly you have to submit for a change of use? is it just a basic application saying you intend to change the use or do you need building plans or anything else?
 
AcidHell2 said:
Do you know what exactly you have to submit for a change of use? is it just a basic application saying you intend to change the use or do you need building plans or anything else?
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The planning service will assess the suitability of your application to change its use. This will involve the submitting of plans by you (normally an agent/architect would do this for you) to them. So, for example if it was a shop to a house (quite a common request) you would have to demonstrate in your plans that the change is suitable in that building and location; being sympathetic to its character (if its an older property for example), not over development of the plot/building and not unnecessary removal of retail building stock from the area.

If you are successful with your planning application, you have to ensure that your development conforms to any conditions of your consent; such as the use of sandstone for external walls etc. Or to keep windows opening as they are.

Thereafter Building Standards will have to be approached to certify the legality and safety of your development. This is a process quite separate from the planning system, but just as important to being able to use your development legally.
 
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email my flat mate at [email protected], he saw your thread but couldnt reply as his accounts been inactive for years. He's a town planner and he said he can advise you on your best options.

MW
 
not posted on here in years so had to create a new account. I'm a town planner working in local government and change of use applications are fairly straightforward. Basicly it depends on the area and what policies relate to that area which determine if a change of use is acceptable. I am more than willing to look at your site and research the relevant Local Plan Policies and determine if a change of use is acceptable there. And if they did refuse you i'm pretty good at doing appeals :)

If you want to change industrial into a dwelling the following issues will need to be considered (these people will be consulted during planning application stage)
- Highways
- Environmental Health
- Head of regulatory services
- Neighbouring occupants.

I would also suggest before you do an application to arrange a pre application enquiry with the council to see if the princple of conversion is acceptable in that area.

Regarding what you need to submit an application it is:
- 4 copies of all plans
- site plan outlining the plot in red
-certifcate B to notify the owners of the property ( you can apply for permission on any land in uk as logn as you notify them, but you would not be able to build it on there unlesss they sold you the land)
- Design and access statement

Finally submit it all online at

Planning Portal

I hope this helps, and if anyone else has any planning issues, fire away

Borich
 
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Thanks Borichnuke, I haven't seen any particular property yet. I'm just trying to understand what would have to be done. I don't suppose there's any example packs on the interweb, so I can see what a well planned finished application looks like?
 
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