Planning Permission

ShooterSF

Ok I e-mailed my local county council (Meath) 3 DAYS AGO! asking a simply question and haven't even got a reply telling me they're processing it. Wonder if any of you guy's could help?

I'm planning on starting a PC repair business from home. Most of the work will be done in call outs but obviously the bigger jobs will have to be brought back to "the workshop" (my shed or kitchen table) I may also have to order some parts for people so I would be getting them delivered to my house.

The question is do I need to apply for planning permission? Most sites give different answers. Any help would be appreciated as at this point I'm thinking of just going ahead without it and if they say anything I'll point out I e-mailed them but they were too lazy to get back to me.

Also if anyone's feeling extra helpful, maybe you could answer another problem for me here:
http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2055273961&page=3
thanks

antoinolachtnai

This sounds like a very small business indeed.

Strictly speaking, you might need planning permission, because the activities are light industrial. But in practice, what you are doing is glorified office work. You are unlikely to have a problem, assuming:

- you don't employ anybody (creates road/parking congestion)
- you hardly ever have visitors to your business (creates congestion, but a few deliveries a week won't raise any eyebrows)
- you don't make noise and it isn't otherwise obvious you are carrying on a business
- you don't park a large commercial vehicle outside.

Of course, you should talk to a planning consultant if you are really concerned about this. I wouldn't go bothering the council about it if I were you, but it's your choice.

AccessQuery

Hi,
You will be liable for Rates on the portion of the property you're working from.
You should reconfirm this with your local council office. Use a temp e-address the next time!

Best of luck with the new business.

Heisenberg.

This post has been deleted.

Dabko

shooter,


I really cant see why you would even waste time with the planning permission issue. You aren't making any structural changes to your home. You'll get away with operating a small business alright, just as long as it doesnt turn into a major technical repairs/distribution centre for the entire country.

Are you putting up signage outside? If so, you would probably be best looking into the signage thing then.
Also, if you have registered a company to that address, you are obliged by company registration legislation to put a small sign up identifying the property as the companies registered office!

ShooterSF

Thanks for the advice guys. I guess I'll leave it for now. What's this about signage?

Rowley Birkin QC

Ring the Planning and Development office or call to the public counter and ask to speak to a planning tech, simple. No point asking for advice on a matter like this on an internet forum.

Working in Limerick City planning dept atm and our techs get questions like this everyday. Be sure that if you go ahead without consulting them they will find out about it, you would be surprised what people report to planning departments.