Can I apply for planning permission on a property I want to buy?

I am buying a house in Lincolnshire and we are currently working on the mortgage application and legal matters etc.

The house really only works for me if I can build an extension in the garden, because my wife and I have two children and both work from home, and the house only has two bedrooms.

I want to get a building permit before buying the house – can I apply for a building permit even if I don’t own it?

MailOnline Real estate expert Myra Butterworth replies: It may seem strange, but you don’t have to own a plot of land to apply for a building permit.

However, applying for permission for a house or plot of land you hope to buy could affect your negotiations with the current owners. It is wise to explain to them what you are doing, so as not to cause bad blood.

We speak with a planning expert about your options and how best to approach this situation.

Before you make a purchase, we talk to an urban planner about the best way to apply for a building permit

Martin Gaine, a chartered urban planner, explains: Oddly enough, you don’t have to own land to apply for a building permit to develop it. You could mischievously apply to change the use of your local cafe to a lap dance club, say, just for the fun of seeing the local reaction.

If you are applying to develop someone else’s property, you must notify them when the application is submitted. Obviously your sellers will be banned if you sign up without first asking them the courtesy to ask their permission. They could very well refuse to sell to you.

The sellers are probably concerned about how long an application may take and the prospect of you backing out if it is denied. Most sellers expect a transaction to be completed quickly, with contracts exchanged in about a month or six weeks. Your application is likely to take longer – you need time to have an architect draw up plans and it takes at least eight weeks for household plan applications to be decided. If permission is refused and you decide to appeal against that decision, you will have to wait about another 20 weeks.

You should therefore start by talking to the sellers (or their broker) about their expectations. It is best that you have their consent to the request, that they understand that it may take some time, and that you may not proceed with the transaction if it fails.

You may not need a building permit at all for an extension to the house. Ground floor extensions to the side and rear are usually permitted, meaning you don’t need planning permission as long as you adhere to strict rules regarding their size and design. Permitted development rights also allow conversions of attics and rear roof extensions and outbuildings for home office use.

Some homes do not have development rights or have already taken advantage of them, in which case a full planning application may be the only option. Then you can try to obtain informal advice from the municipality about the likelihood that the permit will be granted. You can also hire a good planning consultant to review local policies, planning restrictions and allowable development rules to advise you if your plans are feasible.

If the advice from the council or adviser is positive and you are very enthusiastic about this property, you can choose to go ahead with the purchase and take the risk of creating the extra space you need to make it comfortable and practical for your family.

If the advisor’s opinion is positive and you are very enthusiastic about this house, you can choose to go ahead with the purchase and take the risk that you can create the extra space you need to make it comfortable and practical. make for your family. .

Martin Gaine is a chartered urban planner and author of ‘How to Get Planning Permission – An Insider’s Secrets