Many property owners, particularly in rural areas, own barns or other agricultural buildings that are left untouched and used preliminary for storage. These barns have great development potential as they can be converted to a dwelling without requiring planning permission.

This process involves utilising the Class Q permitted development right, situated within the Town and Country Planning (General Permitted Development) (England) Order 2015.

Class Q – agricultural buildings to dwellinghouses allows for:

• A change of use of a building and any land within its curtilage from use as an agricultural building to a use falling within Class C3 (dwellinghouses)
• Building operations reasonably necessary to convert the building to a use falling within C3 (dwellinghouses)

Most properties will benefit from Class Q.  However, properties situated within certain designated areas will not benefit from the permitted development right. These types of designated land include:

• Article 2(3) land
  • A Conservation Area
  • An Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty
  • An area specified by the Secretary of State for the purposes of section 41(3) of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 (enhancement and protection of the natural beauty and amenity of the countryside)
  • The Broads
  • A National Park
  • A World Heritage Site
• A Site of Special Scientific Interest
• A safety hazard area
• A military explosives storage area
• The site is or contains a Scheduled Monument
• The building is a Listed Building
• Land subject to an Article 4 Direction - A direction which enables the Secretary of State or the local planning authority to withdraw specific permitted development rights across a defined area

In addition, conditions imposed on a previous planning permission, relating to the building or land in question, can restrict or remove permitted development rights. Conditions can be removed or varied through an application made under Section 73 of the Town and Country Planning Act (1990), or through an appeal, but such an application/appeal will only be granted/allowed where the condition fails to meet the tests for conditions.

Development under Class Q will only be allowed where the works comply with the criteria of the legislation, which relates to the use of the building and land, dimensions of the building, building operations involved, etc.

In addition, an application for Prior Approval will need to be submitted to the local planning authority where the transport and highways impact, noise impacts, etc of the development will be assessed. Supporting documents, such as a Transport Statement and a Planning Statement, may need to be submitted alongside the application to demonstrate that the impacts of the development will be acceptable.

If the application is approved, and Prior Approval is given, the works can commence in accordance with the approved plans, and the building will be lawful. The local planning authority will have 56 days to determine the application once it has been received and validated. If the local authority does not give written notice by the expiration of the deadline with a determination, the works can be lawfully implemented without any form of consent.

If the building is converted without the Prior Approval of the local planning authority, or is not built in accordance with the approved plans, the local authority’s enforcement team may be in contact and may require you to submit a full planning application for the works or may require you to return the building to its pre-existing condition. It is important to contact a planning consultant such as Squires Planning if you are in any way unsure on what you can or cannot do, and what consents/permissions you require.

The converted building can often be quite cramped and may not meet the needs of the occupants or property owner. Class Q can often be used in a two-step process to deliver a replacement dwelling with improved living standards, involving works that falls outside the scope of what can be achieved under Class Q.

Squires Planning have experience with several successful projects that have involved Class Q development, whether that be just for the conversion to a dwelling, or the two-step process briefly discussed above.

If you have a barn or other agricultural building that you would like to convert into a dwelling, give us a call and we will be happy to assist.

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