Planned replacement garage near listed building...advice required please

It sound like you're free of planning constraints - however it may be worth making a written enquiry to your local planning dept so that you have written confirmation that it's not necessary.

I'm not sure about the exception to Building Control inspections for buildings of less than 30m2 - however don't see BC as an adversary - generally they're interested in buildings being safe and are more of a help than a hindrance. Whether you need your structure inspected or not - you're still required to conform to the regs.

The only other potential issue is if you live in a Conservation Area. Again informal enquiries to planning control will answer that.

Didn't I read in NGs about some legal "estoppel" that makes such "written confirmation" worthless in law (i.e. should one ever need it!)?

Jim

Sorry - no idea.

However you don't get regular newspaper headlines "Planning Dept prosecute householder despite giving informal permission".

But you do (frequently) get "Planning Dept prosecute householder without PP".

You may need permission if the work affects the setting of a listed building. The sensible thing is to go and talk to the local planning department first. Other than that it is almost impossible to say without seeing the site itself. Assuming everything else does come under permitted rights then if you do need LB consnet then it does not cost anything.

Peter Crosland

snipped-for-privacy@yahoo.co.uk

I'm certainly not a lawyer, but my understanding of promissory estoppel from a law course way back when would if anything be the other way round. If something would normally apply, but they tell you (even "unofficially") that you can ignore it, then you're entitled to rely on that.

I don't remember it being that simple when I was being taught it, so there's probably much more that I've forgotten.

Pete

My understanding is that if extending a building takes it over 30m2, building regs apply to the extension, and possibly to some aspects of the original structure. Oddly, there appears to be no minimum separation between 1m from the property boundary to avoid potentially onerous fire resistance requirements. These areas are internal floor area, so if you happen to stray a little over you could always put a false wall inside if visited - "for some insulation".