congratulations rick and maggs

[(RIP) PLANK]

Originally Posted by lacroupade

Is that a Freudian slip then or what?

I do hope not, i like to think my id, or is it ego? or super-ego? is a bit more racy than thoughts of the almighty

[solarman216]

OK to clarify, we have lived on agri land for 8 years in a mobile home, and the council have been tying to remove us from that time, but there are ways and means and we are still here, but 4 years ago I learnt of the 4 year rule re converting an existing building to full living accommodation, so converted the stables completing and moving in on the 7 March 4 years ago with all the evidence needed to prove this, so that is why we are celebrating, we have won and lost some battles during this time but have now won the war.

Now to make this easier on me YOU ARE ALL INVITED but you must PM me for the date and address, last thing I want is Gate Crashers, but Swifty will sort any problems he is renowned for it, best regards Rick

[lacroupade]

Originally Posted by solarman216

OK to clarify, we have lived on agri land for 8 years in a mobile home, and the council have been tying to remove us from that time, but there are ways and means and we are still here, but 4 years ago I learnt of the 4 year rule re converting an existing building to full living accommodation, so converted the stables completing and moving in on the 7 March 4 years ago with all the evidence needed to prove this, so that is why we are celebrating, we have won and lost some battles during this time but have now won the war.

Now to make this easier on me YOU ARE ALL INVITED but you must PM me for the date and address, last thing I want is Gate Crashers, but Swifty will sort any problems he is renowned for it, best regards Rick

Well I'm sure you've already done it Rick, but if not, check with a specialist solicitor, because my understanding of the process is that its a ten year rule as regards change of use of land (from agri to residential) and while the four year rule may mean you get away with the building staying up, you might not be able to legally occupy it. But I'm sure you've done your homework so well done whatever!

[solarman216]

Originally Posted by lacroupade

Well I'm sure you've already done it Rick, but if not, check with a specialist solicitor, because my understanding of the process is that its a ten year rule as regards change of use of land (from agri to residential) and while the four year rule may mean you get away with the building staying up, you might not be able to legally occupy it. But I'm sure you've done your homework so well done whatever!

Yes done my homework very thoroughly 4 year rule applies to converted "existing" buildings , and as "Thurrock" council found to their cost you do not have to have lived in it without interruption for the 4 years , you are entitled to have "holidays", Rick

[millie2]

thurrock rick, you havnt moved into lakeside i hope.CONGRATS KEV.

[Thomas-the-Terrano2]

Originally Posted by millie2

thurrock rick, you havnt moved into lakeside i hope.CONGRATS KEV.

Lakeside? more like be under-lake next time that london gets one of those mega flood
tides eh? thames barrier already quoted as not enough, ffs talk of another one being
built. cheaper to relocate the valuable stuff to the midlands, you know near plank's new english assembly! the centre of englandshire. lol.

[solarman216]

Originally Posted by millie2

thurrock rick, you havnt moved into lakeside i hope.CONGRATS KEV.

No would not want to live there thank you, Rick

[Deleted account DD]

So were does the ten year rule fit in?

I attended a planning meeting a few years back with my mate who was buying up some land and we went to hear the planning committee/objectors debate it.

Another one up at the same session was a chap who was a bit of a character who had bought up some old British Railway land and started to develop it, built a bungalow and moved in without planning permission.

At the hearing he got his way so long as no more development went on but i do remember them saying that as he'd only been there about six or seven years years he hadnt achieved blah blah (I was only listening to odd bits) but they decided to let him stay out of good grace to stop any further hassle.

Whats the score then???????

I genuinely dont know


if you go onto google maps and go to Burtree Lane Darlington and home in on lat / long 54.559556 -1.554750 youll see the nice bungalow he had built at that point

[Thomas-the-Terrano2]

railway land, wouldnt that be brown field or industrial.

sounds positively charming, darling the 10:02 to Kings
Cross is late....

[lacroupade]

Originally Posted by daved

So were does the ten year rule fit in?

I attended a planning meeting a few years back with my mate who was buying up some land and we went to hear the planning committee/objectors debate it.

Another one up at the same session was a chap who was a bit of a character who had bought up some old British Railway land and started to develop it, built a bungalow and moved in without planning permission.

At the hearing he got his way so long as no more development went on but i do remember them saying that as he'd only been there about six or seven years years he hadnt achieved blah blah (I was only listening to odd bits) but they decided to let him stay out of good grace to stop any further hassle.

Whats the score then???????

I genuinely dont know


if you go onto google maps and go to Burtree Lane Darlington and home in on lat / long 54.559556 -1.554750 youll see the nice bungalow he had built at that point

It revolves around change of use....for example, it you bought agricultural land and started running a scrapyard with PP for 'change of use', the council has ten years to clobber you.

But I thought from interpretation that it could sometimes also mean that if you built a house on farmland, even if you got away with the four year rule, the house couldn't be occupied because of the lands designation. But I'm sure Rick hasn't gone public (and bought beer!) without knowing where he stands.

[solarman216]

The ten year rule does usually apply to change of use, and the four year rule usually applies the the erection of a building , hence you could build a house on farm land and after four years they could not normally make you take it down, but also you could not live in it, you could only use it for agri related purpose, if however you got away with it for 10 years then all OK and you can live in it legally, but the 4 year rule on EXISTING buildings on agri land, is an odd one, that was why I did not find out about it for a few year after living here, had I known my 4 years would have been up 3.5 years ago, incidentally does any one know what happened to the guy who built the castle behind the straw bails, he took the bails down after 4 years which as far as the rules state the building can stay but he cant live in it, but I lost track and do not know the final out come, Rick

[lacroupade]

Originally Posted by solarman216

The ten year rule does usually apply to change of use, and the four year rule usually applies the the erection of a building , hence you could build a house on farm land and after four years they could not normally make you take it down, but also you could not live in it, you could only use it for agri related purpose, if however you got away with it for 10 years then all OK and you can live in it legally, but the 4 year rule on EXISTING buildings on agri land, is an odd one, that was why I did not find out about it for a few year after living here, had I known my 4 years would have been up 3.5 years ago, incidentally does any one know what happened to the guy who built the castle behind the straw bails, he took the bails down after 4 years which as far as the rules state the building can stay but he cant live in it, but I lost track and do not know the final out come, Rick

Looks like he lost in the end....

[solarman216]

The last update on this is Feb 2010, I am sure I have heard, of something since then, but have been unable to find it as yet, I will have to get onto the council site for his area and see, but that sort of thing takes me a long time, Rick

[solarman216]

OK been onto the Reigate council site and looked at all the official stuff and all is not what it seems, as is so often the case in the press, so no comparisons, twixt him and me, Rick

[lacroupade]

Hope this isn't bad news....sounds like yours is a different case, but shows the ba5tards don't give up...

http://uk.news.yahoo.com/38/20110407...a-107bc4a.html