Prep required for a pre-planning meeting

MacDanger

Hi

We have a site on a family farm (in Mayo, ~8km from Ballina) and we're considering applying for planning permission.

From what I've read, it's advisable to do a good bit on the pre-planning side of things so that it all runs smoothly when the application is made. Around 4 years ago, I submitted a pre-planning application and got a letter back with a few fairly standard points around site levels, single storey, etc. I presume this would probably need to be redone now as it's been so long but chances are the outcome would be similar.

As I understand it, the planning clinics are walk-in so should we just turn up on the alloted day to talk to someone? Or how much prep work should we have done in advance?

Thanks in advance

woohoo!!!

The more you put in, the more you can get out. I'm not overly familiar with Mayo but I have heard they're quite strict with house design. Check out what kind of information or ask at the meeting, what sort of evidence to include with a planning application to demonstrate your rural linkage and housing need for a rural house. Just stating that site is on a family farm may not be enough. As regards the site, what's the drainage like? If it's poor then a treatment system may not work. What are the sight lines requirements at the entrance. Because it's a clinic, they can only really give general advice but since it's free then...

Here's a link they provide themselves http://www.mayococo.ie/en/Planning/PlanningGuidesandTutorials/

BryanF

IMO bring your designer with you. They will interrupt what the planner divulges

MacDanger

Thanks for the replies.

At the moment, we haven't done any work on it and we don't have a designer/ architect - we didn't wany to start making plans and then have to radically change them based on feedback from the planners.

I'm wondering is it okay to just turn up and say we're planning to build a house here roughly, have you any advice for us before we start getting into detailed planning? Or should we be going in with an architect and/or a pretty good idea of what we want?

woody1

i work in mayo, in ballina actually,
bring an ordnance survey map of where you want to build with you
have an idea of what your after, single storey , dormer, 2 storey, and ask , your was well to find out at this stage if a 2 storey is off the cards for example..
if there are houses youve seen that you like it might be no harm to have a photo or 2 with you ,
woohoo is right, sight lines , what you can see left or right when your in your car exiting your site, is huge, you need different distances depending on what kind of road your exiting on to.. and you may or may not be able to meet them ..

drainage is a big one as well, planner wont be able to tell you a lot about that though, thats one to be checked out if you get a go ahead from them

no you dont need detailed house plans at this stage, if you have an idea, like we want to build 2500 sq ft , 2 storey/dormer/single storey, on this site, is enough
for now, if you get the go ahead on that you can go back in with house plans later if you want, although most of the architects / engineers around know what they
can and cant do anyway

BryanF

You claim you have a family land, right? So you’re best to put your ‘best foot forward’

The Only houses I’ve had difficulty getting planning for, was where the client went off to pre-planning without representation - ‘planner says it will be grand’, and you spend the next two years going around in circles with council. You don’t need plans done - just an idea of what you want, someone to help you translate that to the planner and interpet what they want.

MacDanger

Sound, thanks for the replies