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Complete Garage Conversion
- Thread starter s000m
- Start date
Jib
Site Supporter
Can I ask why you had to get permission from the council and do the extra parking space? I’ve had a quick read on the national and our local websites and from what I can see we wouldn’t need permission from the council just the builders because of the restrictive covenant. Want to make sure I’m not missing something obvious! Thanks 
if you take away parking, they usually want to ensure there is adequate parking elsewhere. if you’re driveway can fit at least two cars you’re probably ok, but if not they may insist you convert some of your garden!Can I ask why you had to get permission from the council and do the extra parking space? I’ve had a quick read on the national and our local websites and from what I can see we wouldn’t need permission from the council just the builders because of the restrictive covenant. Want to make sure I’m not missing something obvious! Thanks
Jib
Site Supporter
We do have 2 spaces but the planning self assessment form doesn’t even mention it, so I guess our council isn’t bothered about that
So because we changed the front of the house (removing the garage and replacing with brick and window) it falls under standard planning permission. If we had left the garage door intact then we wouldn't need to seek permission.Can I ask why you had to get permission from the council and do the extra parking space? I’ve had a quick read on the national and our local websites and from what I can see we wouldn’t need permission from the council just the builders because of the restrictive covenant. Want to make sure I’m not missing something obvious! Thanks
Set aside budgets if you end up doing like we did.
£206 for planning permission (cost may vary where you live).
£350 for planning design architect to draw up some plans (if you can do itself confidently do so and save some money.
You need front elevation plan existing and proposed to scale.
Residential plan you can source online for £10 showing the road layout in your are again to scale.
Interior plan existing and proposed.
My council was very finicky...
Be aware that letters go out to your neighbours in the immediate area. One neighbour tried to block it but he's a t*** and has had it in for me for a while.
Jib
Site Supporter
Thanks for replying. It must be a council to council thing, ours don't seem to mind if you change the garage door to a window as long as the bricks match the rest of the house and youre not extending only converting. Think our only problem will be if the builder says no and enforces the RC.
Itch
Registered
People can be Richards, especially neighbours
Most likely, my extension hit the local news >< 'Neighbours feud over garage removal, when should you be allowed to remove parking?'
That's absolutely pathetic and ridiculous! Nothing to do with the neighbours, probably not got anything better to do.
Got a link to the artcile, out of curiosity?
Garage converison looking good and making quick progress.
Got a link to the artcile, out of curiosity?
Garage converison looking good and making quick progress.
IN THE PLANNING: Massage salon takeaway plans, solar panels in Park South and more
Planning applications approved and refused in Swindon this week
www.swindonadvertiser.co.uk
the massage parlour plans were a better read 
You should have seen the 3 page complaint he put on the portalthe massage parlour plans were a better read
One of my neighbours recently converted his typical 1980's garage and parking wasn't even considered as the garage dimensions weren't large enough to be a parking space!
"A resident’s plan to turn an integral garage into a room with a window divided opinion among neighbours"
"But there was also support from some neighbours and planning officers decided the scheme was acceptable"
What could only be described as hard hitting journalism!
"But there was also support from some neighbours and planning officers decided the scheme was acceptable"
What could only be described as hard hitting journalism!
Another day another update.
Ran the dehumidifier for about 8 hours. The result.
Lighting and sockets are now installed.
Tomorrow I believe is more outside work to the wall/Window area. Along with the latex of the floor.
After that they stop until the 7th when the Window should be ready for installation, then I imagine another 5 days before I start painting the primer on the wall, then 2 coats of the paint we have. Then the flooring. I predict we'll be done by Mid December.
Ran the dehumidifier for about 8 hours. The result.
Lighting and sockets are now installed.
Tomorrow I believe is more outside work to the wall/Window area. Along with the latex of the floor.
After that they stop until the 7th when the Window should be ready for installation, then I imagine another 5 days before I start painting the primer on the wall, then 2 coats of the paint we have. Then the flooring. I predict we'll be done by Mid December.
I wonder if the additional parking you had to put in was standard for you area or caused by your neighbours complaint about on cuasing street parking.
Standard in my area.
3 spaces for a 4+ bedroom house see appendix B:
Funny part is that some houses in my area have 1 car space and 1 garage space, despite having 4 Bedrooms...
The 'neighbour' put his complaint in on the last day of submission on purpose to delay or deny it. Got one of his cronie friends to do a copy and paste letter doing the same even though the letter wasn't sent to them. I didn't even notice the 'complaint' my neighbour did and then rallied like 7 other neighbours to counteract the complaint.
The guy is a t*** with nothing better to do with his life. Long history with that prick a story for another day.
Ive got one behind me that if he is not careful I’m going to fog his whole garden with weed killer, loves his garden!
Farm house?
D
Deleted member 2463
that would worry me, because I believe any affected party could object post work and if they were really twats take it to a review. I had letters sent to loads of folks for my shed including people way down the street opposite me me - despite the fact it really only impacted one neighbour who I thought would complain as I set fire to their swimming pool but they didn't! I also had a run in with the cock neighbour behind me. who despite agreeing to allow us using the back fence area to get diggers in claimed we'd killed his prize cherry tree and some other tree, he blocked the side road with his car preventing delivery of the concrete and he had some sort of legal YTS moron write him a letter and sent to me. Fortunately for me I had to have a tree survey done by an arboreal specialist who took photos and none of them were for a prize cheery tree. The letter my lawyer wrote to them was almost as hilarious as the **** kissing apology they wrote. It was an 100% attempt to extort "compensation". ****wits..
D
Deleted member 2463
Can I ask why you had to get permission from the council and do the extra parking space? I’ve had a quick read on the national and our local websites and from what I can see we wouldn’t need permission from the council just the builders because of the restrictive covenant. Want to make sure I’m not missing something obvious! Thanks
are you in a new build estate? They are likely to only care if they are still selling houses or sill have any kind of interest in the estate you are on (do they charge management fees or anything?).
D
Deleted member 2463
Does not worry me
I think different councils just do it differently
well not a lot you can do now I guess
Jib
Site Supporter
I wont copy paste the whole self assessment form and you probably don't want to read it yourself but I emailed the planning office and they said their only restrictions are on their self assessment form. I can't see anything on there about changing the door to a window or allowing for extra parking. It also doesn't appear to be a national restriction if it is not going to be a separate dwelling. https://www.east-northamptonshire.gov.uk/downloads/file/11744/self_assessment_form_a
We'll double check everything of course before starting any work and if we're unsure we'll apply for a lawful development certificate. Atm we haven't even got any quotes yet so very earlier stages.
Jib
Site Supporter
yeah its a new build estate but its almost complete, almost all the unbuilt houses past us are sold already. We got an email from head office today saying if we match the bricks they give us permission so that's one step out of the way. I'd read that some builders require plans drawn up and then charge a fee to even consider it so I was preparing for that. If we'd been on the start of the estate I think they might have enforced the restrictive covenant but as its nearing the end they don't care
Most builders will want drawings to give an accurate quote, especially if there is any structural stuff. Quotes should be free though. We had about 5 quotes before we settled on a local builder who had done tons of stuff in our area and even worked on our neighbours house few years ago.
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