Have a site what next ?

Leaving2010

Hi all,

Myself and my boyfriend have recently been given a site from his parents, has not been signed over as yet. What is the next step, we really want to get the ball rolling, we want to know if the land is ok to build on before we get the site signed over..so what or where do we go from here..any help at all would be really appreciated..

Thanks

archtech

Start off by arranging a pre-planning to establish if you satisfy the criteria to obtain planning permission on the land or if the land is potentially suitable for development, then engage an architectural technologist/technician or architect to develop a design brief with you.

Remember at the moment the "site" is only a plot of land, when it get planning permission then it becomes a site.

muffler

archtech wrote: »

Start off by arranging a pre-planning to establish if you satisfy the criteria to obtain planning permission on the land or if the land is potentially suitable for development, then engage an architectural technologist/technician or architect to develop a design brief with you.

Remember at the moment the "site" is only a plot of land, when it get planning permission then it becomes a site.

Id agree generally with this.

The jury is still out on the issue of attending a pre planning meeting as some people find the planners unhelpful and unless you have an "agent" with you then you may not be in a position to answer questions fully or perhaps give a "wrong" answer.

The alternative is to engage a technician/architect first and then follow their advice. They will explain to you how you would satisfy the local housing needs policy, what type of permission to apply for - outline or full, explain about having a site assessment carried out, determine the zoning of the land, advise on what type of house that would be considered acceptable -i.e. bungalow, 2 storey etc etc etc.

You could do a small bit of background work yourself. Most Planning Authorities now have web sites that give details of land zoning, rural housing/local needs etc. Development contributors are another factor and these are generally based on the size of the house but it varies around the country. Again, the web site should give details of these.

Hope this helps

No6

In my opinion I think you should find a local, Architect, Technologist or engineer who has a good track record with planning in your area to look at the site first, If they are any good they should be able to tell you if its feasable before you go near a planner and what steps to take next. Generally in Mayo I don't bother with pre-planning too much unless the site is very tricky or something similar. You don't need the site signed over untill you have planning. I would also have a talk with your bank to see if and how much they will lend you, in the current climate thay are not being overly generous at the moment!!. I generally wouldn'y advise doing too much on your own as you may set your heart on something that would not be achieveable for numerous reasons!! Best of Luck.

Leaving2010

Thanks so much for ur replies..very helpful..i am sure i will be back again with more questions

uptowngirly

You may also want to look into getting a percolation test done on the land. Some county councils give a list of approved site assessors for this, or a local architect/architectural technician will be able to assist you in finding someone to do this. Also, anyone in the area who has built recently will be able to point you in the right direction.

Good luck - we're only a small bit ahead of you and I'm dreaming about houses on a nightly basis!!:D

JuniorB

Totally agree with getting a local AT etc involved initially. Pre-planning meetings without an 'expert' on your side are of limited use.

Assuming you're in a rural area then start by having a look at the Cork Rural Design Guide....
http://www.corkcoco.ie/co/pdf/57155115.pdf
I found the Offaly one was good too...
http://www.offaly.ie/eng/Services/Planning/Rural_Design_Guidelines/Rural_Design_Guidelines.pdf

Most councils follow these or have a similar guide. This will give you a general idea on of what sort of design features you may be allowed and more importantly will probably let you see what you will not be allowed.

Best of luck.