Rural Derelict Houses

westcoast66

In my immediate area, (rural Wicklow), I can count at least 5 derelict houses. The council will not allow these to be renovated (we tried) as it would be 'change of use'. But they seem happy enough to allow new bungalows be built on 1 acre green fields as long as the applicants are local.

Are we missing a trick here? AFAIK, in rural England only renovation of derelict houses is permitted.

What is the councils reasoning behind this? Assuming there is one. Opinions?!

Mrs OBumble

Are you blow-ins, by any chance? If so, their reasoning may be pretty clear.

Or maybe the house are on a flood plain or other area where they would never allow houses now.

convert

Are they on your land and owned by you? Or are they on a small plot of land that's owned by an unknown person? If the latter, it could be very complicated to 'do them up' as it would essentially be done without the owner's permission.

And as far as I know, Wicklow has very complicated planning laws and you have to show you have a tie to the area in order to get planning permission.

westcoast66

Mrs OBumble wrote: »

Are you blow-ins, by any chance? If so, their reasoning may be pretty clear.

Define a blow-in? I was born 6 miles from where I live now. My question is why are people not encouraged to invest and do up these old properties?

L1011

"change of use" from what to what? How derelict are we talking here? Intact but in need of total refurbishment or a few stone walls?

If they're intact, they're residential use already. They don't cease to be just because they've been empty for a while

If they're complete ruins, though, it would be easy to see it as a way to try circumvent local needs planning permission.

Black_Knight

Its the proverbial PFO from Wicklow CC. Look up section 47 Wicklow.

http://www.wicklow.ie/sites/default/files/Pre-planning%20Guide%20%231%20for%20Single%20Rural%20Houses.pdf

We ourselves would like to do something similar. Find a derelict cottage in Wicklow, and restore it to its former glory - albeit with more rooms for a modern family.

We spent a weekend in west Cork recently, and the amount of amazing looking restored houses we passed. Nothing outlandish, all with great masonry work, and all in keeping with their surroundings. I get the reasoning for Wicklows strict rules, but a blanket PFO is tough to take when you're intentions are to restore an old rural ruin to its former simple cottage form.

TeaBagMania

“Change of use” might be the issue
My understanding is if you’re not changing the structure or adding an addition you don’t need planning permission, so if I want to install a new roof along with new plumbing and wiring and paint the exterior im grand. Although I believe you do need a license for a new septic system.
Clarification would be appreciated

Black_Knight

Part of my understanding was the dwelling had to be currently habitable.

Some examples:
I laugh at the BER, but it could point to it being habitable???
http://www.daft.ie/sales/roddenagh-cottage-aughrim-wicklow/1053670/

This is just a ruin, my assumption would be you'd need planning permission.
http://www.daft.ie/sales/site-at-rosnastraw-tinahely-wicklow/989733/

Black_Knight

We stayed in a place in west cork last weekend. It was a restored cottage and barn.

Before:


During:


After:

TeaBagMania

Black_Knight wrote: »

Part of my understanding was the dwelling had to be currently habitable.

This is just a ruin, my assumption would be you'd need planning permission.
http://www.daft.ie/sales/site-at-rosnastraw-tinahely-wicklow/989733/

I lol’d, that is indeed a ruin in every sense of the word and as there are walls missing I can understand planning permission needed.
Was thinking more along these lines, needs a new front door but it has windows and a 99% of a roof. I’d live there
http://www.daft.ie/sales/tawnaleen-clonbur-galway/930790/

murphaph

I'm writing this from county Donegal. They also have loads of ruined cottages but even worse they have an unbelievable number of nondescript bungalows literally everywhere. They have truly destroyed a once beautiful county. Won't be returning here I'm afraid. I'm against the local needs policies. I'm simply against one off and ribbon development. There is no good reason to allow it and plenty of reasons to ban it and force the development of villages and hamlets instead.

GerardKeating

westcoast66 wrote: »

Define a blow-in? I was born 6 miles from where I live now. My question is why are people not encouraged to invest and do up these old properties?

In the view of most councils, a site with a derelict/ruined house, is just a field, so full permission is required to build/revovate/convert the ruin to a house.

Also, sometimes when house holders "upgrade", they build near-by and part of the permission for the new build is that the old house becomes an "ex-house".

CollyFlower

I really don't see why councles are making it so difficult for people to restore old country homes. The rules they have in place are just ridiculous and just putting people off.... It's no wonder small towns are being abandoned!

murphaph

CollyFlower wrote: »

I really don't see why councles are making it so difficult for people to restore old country homes. The rules they have in place are just ridiculous and just putting people off.... It's no wonder small towns are being abandoned!

Small towns are being abandoned because so many people want and are allowed to live a mile outside the town on aa site that was a field.

Black_Knight

CollyFlower wrote: »

I really don't see why councles are making it so difficult for people to restore old country homes. The rules they have in place are just ridiculous and just putting people off.... It's no wonder small towns are being abandoned!

You can build in towns in Wicklow. They seem to be pro "urban sprawl".

robp

Black_Knight wrote: »

We spent a weekend in west Cork recently, and the amount of amazing looking restored houses we passed. Nothing outlandish, all with great masonry work, and all in keeping with their surroundings. I get the reasoning for Wicklows strict rules, but a blanket PFO is tough to take when you're intentions are to restore an old rural ruin to its former simple cottage form.

It is wonderful to see older dwellings being restored and continued to be used. They have much more charm then most modern builds. One thing I can't stand is the tendency to rip off the plaster to expose the stone masonry as is common in Cork. It is completely untraditionally and is bad for the integrity for the walls. Stone masonry is not supposed to be exposed.

ezra_pound

Black_Knight wrote: »

You can build in towns in Wicklow. They seem to be pro "urban sprawl".

No. They're just anti rural sprawl.

loyatemu

Wicklow's policies may not be perfect but they've got to be better than those in (say) Kerry or Cavan both of which are absolutely blighted by inappropriate rural development.