DIY Planning Permission?

Cona

The front of my house currently has one parking space and a garden both sides. I am considering opening up the driveway entrance and paving the garden so that there is enough room for two cars. In order to make a driveway wider I will need planning permission.

I have a neighbour down the road who successfully made an application. I am considering using a lot of his drawings for my application as his house and drive are practically identical builds.

Anything I should consider before I do this? Do many people submit their own drawings for planning?

BryanF

If changing the entrance, yes, you need planning.

Cona

BryanF wrote: »

If changing the entrance, yes, you need planning.

I know kinda why I posted the above as I am looking for advice/tips on a DIY planning application...thanks for the response though

Penn

Cona wrote: »

I know kinda why I posted the above as I am looking for advice/tips on a DIY planning application...thanks for the response though

How will you "use" his drawings though? The drawings have to be site-specific, so even in an estate or something where all the houses are very similar and you're proposing the same thing, how will you be able to modify the drawings? If he only has hard copies of it, it's going to be very hard to modify them to planning standards (notations of house numbers, north sign, dimensions etc). If he has a digital copy (AutoCAD or similar), do you know how to use the software to make the changes yourself? Also, when you say you're going to use his drawings, is he giving them to you or are you just going to copy them from the Council's website, because if the latter, those drawings will have been scanned, scaled and stamped and will be extremely difficult to re-use.

After that you also need to compile all the associated documents that go with a planning application, OS maps, drainage items etc.

It's definitely possible to make a DIY application, and for something like widening a driveway there may not be a lot in it. I'd say first step would be to check your neighbour's application online through the Council's website, see all that was submitted with that one, and only then can you see what they submitted and what you need to do to match that.

Gumbo

Cona wrote: »

Anything I should consider before I do this?

Consider engaging a local Planning Agent, Technician or similar

Cona wrote: »

Do many people submit their own drawings for planning?

In reality, not many. The few that have tried, very rarely get it right first time around and then the additional costs of newspapers, prints etc, it would have been cheaper to get someone local in the first place.

Lleyn elec

It’s not that hard to do yourself especially if you have a neighbours to use as a guide.
You’re going to be charged the same for the printing and newspaper advert plus profit margin. Download a planning pack from ordnance survey for the maps etc.
Use a months free trial of autocad LT for the drawings.
I’ve done several for myself including a house and slatted sheds.

who what when

Lleyn elec wrote: »

It’s not that hard to do yourself especially if you have a neighbours to use as a guide.
You’re going to be charged the same for the printing and newspaper advert plus profit margin. Download a planning pack from ordnance survey for the maps etc.
Use a months free trial of autocad LT for the drawings.
I’ve done several for myself including a house and slatted sheds.

This is good advice. I cant understand why so many peoples first reaction is to say hire a professional, you wont be able etc.
Whats the worst that will happen? Its invalidated - thats it. Literally try again.
Whats the best that will happen? You'll have learned a new skill, saved money and you'll have that sense of satisfaction that you get from being self reliant.

To the poster who said an invalidated application will be as costly as getting a professional well lets do the sums.
Its a fairly straightforward job so you should be able to get someone to do it around a grand, maybe even a bit cheaper.
If you do it yourself and its invalidated you've lost the cost of the newspaper advertisement (about €50-80 with most local papers) and about €5 of printer ink. Theres a bit of a gap there.

Go on and give it go, you'll surprise yourself.
And let us know how it goes.

Gumbo

who what when wrote: »

This is good advice. I cant understand why so many peoples first reaction is to say hire a professional, you wont be able etc.
Whats the worst that will happen? Its invalidated - thats it. Literally try again.
Whats the best that will happen? You'll have learned a new skill, saved money and you'll have that sense of satisfaction that you get from being self reliant.

To the poster who said an invalidated application will be as costly as getting a professional well lets do the sums.
Its a fairly straightforward job so you should be able to get someone to do it around a grand, maybe even a bit cheaper.
If you do it yourself and its invalidated you've lost the cost of the newspaper advertisement (about €50-80 with most local papers) and about €5 of printer ink. Theres a bit of a gap there.

Go on and give it go, you'll surprise yourself.
And let us know how it goes.

Application fee. €34
Newspaper notice is €220 with the evening herald currently. Done one last week. Can depend on wording or course.
Site notice and lamination.
The actual prints. The cost of getting scaled CAD files is the biggest hurdle for people without adequate printers. 6 copies of each drawing. Can’t reuse as they come Back stamped with the original plan ref number.

So yes, have a go of course but it’s not just a loss of €80 as you say.

who what when

Gumbo wrote: »

Application fee. €34
Newspaper notice is €220 with the evening herald currently. Done one last week. Can depend on wording or course.
Site notice and lamination.
The actual prints. The cost of getting scaled CAD files is the biggest hurdle for people without adequate printers. 6 copies of each drawing. Can’t reuse as they come Back stamped with the original plan ref number.

So yes, have a go of course but it’s not just a loss of €80 as you say.

The application fee is refunded for an invalidated application.
Last planning application I did the newspaper fee was €23 (Munster Express), one before that was €67 (Kilkenny People). It varies from newspaper to newspaper. I think you purposely picked the herald because its not the cheapest.
Laminating a site notice - free if you have a laminator, a couple of euro if not.
Prints - well if you have a printer and many people do - free. Doesn't have to be a fancy one.

So yes, it is a loss of approx. €80 euro as I say.

Metric Tensor

Don't underestimate the difference in hassle level between different councils. Gumbo is in Dublin where they can be a bit more "rigid" about some rule interpretations. Many of us don't realise how good we have it when we think things are awkward in our own particular local authority area.

It is totally possible to do yourself OP. I could almost guarantee it will be invalidated first time but that's by no means the end of the world. You'll spend a lot more time on it than a guy who does 4 or 5 of these a week so it very much depends on how you value your time. A bit like any other DIY job - balance the time and effort vs the cost and end result. It's a pity they can't be submitted online because multiple visits to the planning office during their opening hours can be a pain.

Cona

Thanks for all the replies. I am going to do some research on the actual process and then will give it a lash. I have plenty of spare time and am relatively ok with Autocad so prob am happy to give it a lash.
And also have access to printers etc

Will report back here with questions in a few weeks time, hope some of you can help

Cheers...

Gumbo

who what when wrote: »

The application fee is refunded for an invalidated application.
Last planning application I did the newspaper fee was €23 (Munster Express), one before that was €67 (Kilkenny People). It varies from newspaper to newspaper. I think you purposely picked the herald because its not the cheapest.
Laminating a site notice - free if you have a laminator, a couple of euro if not.
Prints - well if you have a printer and many people do - free. Doesn't have to be a fancy one.

So yes, it is a loss of approx. €80 euro as I say.

I pricked the herald as in Dublin it’s the cheapest printed paper currently
Due to C19. None of the smaller free papers are printing and therefore cannot be used to advertise a planning application.

Of course the other services are free if you have the machines and materials but I assume you’d have to buy those first. Laminators are not free. Printers, ink and A3/A1 paper is not free.

The biggest problem with invalidations is the wording being incorrect, documents not matching and lack of scale on every copy of drawing.