Solicitors Attwaters Jameson Hill has welcomed moves to allow farm buildings to be converted into homes, and is reminding developers that they still have to meet building standards and permitted development rules.
The government recently announced new planning permission exemptions for agricultural buildings that are converted into up to five new homes.
Introduced to help families in rural communities to get on to the property market in areas where they are typically priced out by second home buyers, the change to permitted development rights will allow agricultural buildings to be converted into up to five homes, instead of three, without the need for formal permission.
Housing Minister Dominic Raab described the change as “part of our comprehensive reform programme to build the homes Britain needs.”
Owners of agricultural buildings have previously had to have planning permission to convert farm buildings into such a high number of residencies, but Salvatore Amico, head of town and country planning at Attwaters Jameson Hill, has said that developers still need to consider the rules of permitted development.
He said: “While it is true that a permitted development does not have to have planning permission, this does not give developers carte blanche to do as they please.
“I think there is a bit of a myth which surrounds these rules, but if builders do not follow the guidance as laid down in permitted development legislation or go beyond what is permitted, then local authorities may be able to take enforcement action.”
Salvatore added that while he welcomed the new much-needed approach to housing in rural areas, a degree of caution still needed to be taken and that seeking advice may still be beneficial.
“Converting a barn or any other existing agricultural building is still a complex procedure and depending on what the developer intends to do they could still find that certain elements of their build come under planning law,” concluded Salvatore.
