Planning question

Mikoyan

I have looked online but can not find an answer, maybe someone here might know. Regarding sightlines when exiting a driveway etc, were these a regulation back in the 60s 70s 80s etc.

looksee

Kind of, sort of, not really. My impression is, if you are looking to buy a house with a dodgy sightline you will be ok with it until you start looking for planning - maybe for something else. In general it won't be a problem if you are not renovating, but there is a basically good reason for sightlines. We turned down a house that had a stupidly dangerous little hill stopping visibility just a short distance from the entrance, getting in and out would have been a nightmare on a fairly fast road.

Wildly Boaring

For a new build or for buying an existing build?

Off a Laois CoCo table for new build
"Visibility standards for rural sites"

Mikoyan

Thanks for replies. looking at a couple of older houses. One is a cottage probably build in the 60 the other is a bungalow I think probably build in later 70s early 80s. Cottage has exit to road with wall both side of entrance. Bungalow has set back entrance but hedges behind old style stone wall. They are both on slow country back road with small traffic.

Mikoyan

We like both but worry we will be told to change wall or hedge.

looksee

My experience (living on one) is that back country roads are not particularly all that slow, people tend to practice rallying on them. However, if you go looking for planning permission to change the house there is every chance that you will be asked to alter the entrance if it is unsafe. If it is just a matter of creating a sightline by changing a wall beside your gateway why would you object to that? Do you really want to be pulling blind onto a road?

You need to get a surveyor to take a look at the property and give you professional advice, it would be money well spent relative to the cost of buying a house with access issues. You should probably ask about going sale agreed subject to survey (including road survey). You will need a survey anyway - there may be septic tank/ well/ structural issues you need to know about.

muffler

Mikoyan wrote: »

We like both but worry we will be told to change wall or hedge.

What makes you think that you will be asked to change anything?

Mikoyan

muffler wrote: »

What makes you think that you will be asked to change anything?

We were going to do new build but could not get planning for sightline. worry if we buy older place we might be told to change things. No way the older buildings would comply with sightline of today. Would not plan to renovate old house outside only inside house.

Mikoyan

looksee wrote: »

My experience (living on one) is that back country roads are not particularly all that slow, people tend to practice rallying on them. However, if you go looking for planning permission to change the house there is every chance that you will be asked to alter the entrance if it is unsafe. If it is just a matter of creating a sightline by changing a wall beside your gateway why would you object to that? Do you really want to be pulling blind onto a road?

You need to get a surveyor to take a look at the property and give you professional advice, it would be money well spent relative to the cost of buying a house with access issues. You should probably ask about going sale agreed subject to survey (including road survey). You will need a survey anyway - there may be septic tank/ well/ structural issues you need to know about.

Only change inside not outside.

Gumbo

Mikoyan wrote: »

We were going to do new build but could not get planning for sightline. worry if we buy older place we might be told to change things. No way the older buildings would comply with sightline of today. Would not plan to renovate old house outside only inside house.

What has building a new build on a different site got to do with an existing house on a this site?

If the house is existing you won’t be asked to change anything assuming all is in order with the vendor.