1st post, perils of dealing with bureaucracy

[Simple Simon]

[ATTACH]131929[/ATTACH]Greetings

 

I'm extremely fortunate to have acquired 50 acres of beautiful woodland in the UK. It's been totally neglected for 20-30 years, in some areas the canopy is so dense you can't see daylight. The area contains quite a few different species including, Holly, Beech, Ash, Lime, Sycamore, Scots Pine, Norway Maple, Cherry, Silver Birch, Hawthorn, Willow, Scots Pine, Larch and Douglas Fir and some grand mature Oaks. Over the years, many of the native broadleaf's have been felled and replaced with conifers, presumably for economic reasons but some fine native examples still remain.

 

Before acquiring the land I did all the obvious necessary homework, TPO's, designed landscapes, planning restrictions etc , pretty much anything that could impact on what I could and couldn't do. The Forestry Commission have been bloody marvelous, a font of knowledge and hugely supportive, can't praise them enough. All the boxes ticked and a clean bill of health the deal was done.

 

Then bureaucracy enters the equation. The planning goal posts, which initially identified no potential issues suddenly move. Although the site is not registered in the official inventory as a "Designed Landscape" , the planners decide it's an area of outstanding beauty and that it should be. An attempt was made a couple of years ago to include the site in the inventory but failed, so apparently its now listed in the local inventory, interestingly, it turns out that this unofficial local inventory carries no statutory weight in the planning process.

 

The planners then decide that no form of woodland/forestry work can be carried out in the area. Prior to acquisition it was established the land was agricultural, which encompasses forestry operations and associated works. Absurdly , now they say the land has no classification (use) even though previous forestry works have been carried out, which, the planners are fully aware of because I gave them all the records relating to it. I then argued, surely if the land has a history and now has no classification then by omission it may fall within the parameters of agriculture, still waiting on that one.

 

Then there's the excruciating amount of time it takes to correspond with these people, the whole process is mind-numbing.

 

Anyway, I'm boring myself now, but feel better for getting it off my chest, will attempt to attach some pictures.

 

Simon

Pic5.pdf

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Pic1.pdf

[easy-lift guy]

With the beruaucracy you have mentioned, I am surprised you got as far as you did. Reads like someone dropped a dime on your plans and you will have to remain in a holding pattern until and only if you bend over far and long enough to meet the needs of a few.

This project may or may not be worth it in the end,only becuse of the insane rules and regs in posed against people in business in the UK. That being said fall back and reassess your situation. Logically weight out your pros and cons and decide. You should not squander any more emotional capital on this matter, since the ROI may not be worth it in the end.

easy-lift guy

[Amelanchier]

I guess the first question to ask is why are you speaking to planners about undertaking forestry work?

[slasherscot]

I guess the first question to ask is why are you speaking to planners about undertaking forestry work?

 

exactly...get your license off FC and crack on

[Amelanchier]

exactly...get your license off FC and crack on

 

Which means perhaps the OP has another use in mind... Perhaps one that all this insane bureaucracy implemented by a shadowy anti-libertarian elite is designed to manage for the wider public benefit?

 

LPA planners can't designate an AONB even if they wanted to.

Edited August 14, 2013 by Amelanchier

[Stubby]

exactly...get your license off FC and crack on

 

What I thought ????

[Simple Simon]

Which means perhaps the OP has another use in mind... Perhaps one that all this insane bureaucracy implemented by a shadowy anti-libertarian elite is designed to manage for the wider public benefit?

 

LPA planners can't designate an AONB even if they wanted to.

 

Apologies, I should have mentioned the site has planning for a house. The plan is to live there and have a home business, its because the site is not classified for any particular use i.e. business seems to be the issue. Catch 22, I can't afford to build a house if there is no potential to make a quid. I understand the point about an FC license, the FC will do this subject to a satisfactory management plan.

Agricultural land has its advantages, permitted development is one of them, I reckon the planners are extremely reluctant from the start to acknowledge this because effectively it gives them less control.

[Amelanchier]

It has always been a fight to secure any kind of residential development in agricultural land (regardless of trees). A major part of the ethos of the UK planning system over the past sixty odd years has been the restriction of development of the countryside - we just don't have that much of it!

 

At the risk of telling you something you already know (and assuming that your location is Oz as shown in your profile) you'd be best served by a decent UK land agent or a solicitor specialising in planning law - things are changing rapidly with regard to permitted development and our recently adopted new planning guidance is still being tested at appeal and in the courts.

[hedgesparrow]

get some livestock. no matter what chickens geese. say you need to live there to look after livestock 24 7 even pigs can use them to hunt for truffles.

[woody3]

get some livestock. no matter what chickens geese. say you need to live there to look after livestock 24 7 even pigs can use them to hunt for truffles.

 

that will not work:001_rolleyes:

 

best bet, start business, live in caravan for 3 years, then apply for planning

 

if someone has not built there, its usually for a reason

 

what planning has the site got?