Surprise at pre-planning meeting

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podge3

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Site size & distance of house from road

It probably varies from county to county but is there a minimum distance that a new house should be from the road.

I'm looking at a half acre site in a rural location and would like to build a 2000 sq ft bungalow on it. Unfortunately the site is only 100 ft deep. If the house is say 65ft wide X 30ft deep then there is only 70ft left for front and back garden - say roughly 35ft for front and back.

So is 35ft too near the road?
 
Re: Site size & distance of house from road

Your best bet is to contact the planning authority and go through you plans with them. Some authorities expect this prior to you submitting a planning application. The planners may foresee a widening of the road in the furture so that will need to be taken into account.
 
Re: Site size & distance of house from road

Remember also that you will be asked to keep a "setback" of 3.5 metres from the edge of the carriageway to your new front wall.
 
Re: Site size & distance of house from road

Avns1s said:
Remember also that you will be asked to keep a "setback" of 3.5 metres from the edge of the carriageway to your new front wall.
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I'm hoping to keep the existing hedgerow and use an existing entrance. The site is somewhat raised above the road.
 
Re: Site size & distance of house from road

podge3 said:
I'm hoping to keep the existing hedgerow and use an existing entrance. The site is somewhat raised above the road.
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Does it already have this "setback". If it doesn't then it would be virtually unprecedented that you wouldn't be asked to move back. "asked" is probably the wrong word.... it will probably be a condition of your planning approval.
 
Re: Site size & distance of house from road

Ours is 10 metres from the road to the edge of the gable
 
Re: Site size & distance of house from road

Podge,

If you can show using a profile of the ground, that at a point 3.5m back from the edge of the road, with an observational height of 1.5m roughly your eyeline from the driver seat of your car that there is no obstructions from this plane of sight to a distance found in the development plan. But from what you say is a rural location, your required sightline distance is likely to be no more than 130m. It may require you to trim hedges to a nominal height of say 0.9m to keep views clear, but state this on your drawings when submitting to planning. 0.5acre probably means your sightline will cross someone elses land so you need there permission to state that you will also maintain the adjoining hedges in both directions.

The close proximity to the road is only really ever determined by the existing building line of the area that is if there is houses either side of you your house has to be built in the same line as them. If not the only factor that limits you to position is the position of your teatment plant and percolation area, in relation to boundaries and drains so look into this.

You have alot of work ahead of you but it'll be worth it, sub-floor in my house should be going in this week all going well, fingers crossed
 
Re: Site size & distance of house from road

Thanks for the replies - some good info has been posted here.

I'll try and describe the site in a bit more detail:

Overall size is 65 X 31 metres and 0.2 Ha (0.5 acres). The land itself is quite level but the road is approx 1 - 1.5 metres lower. The existing entrance is the highest point on the road and is where I would like to have the house entrance.

The road is relatively narrow, not quite a boreen, just a local road. Two cars can pass each other, but with difficulty. There is a margin between the road and the site of about 1 metre.

As mentioned earlier, my parents house is the only house nearby and that is practically built on the road, so keeping in line shouldn't be a problem.

So is it fair to say the following?
  • the dimensions and area of the site should not be a problem
  • proximity to the road may not be a problem
  • keeping the existing hedgerow is a non-runner due to the sight line
  • the fact that the site is higher than the road makes the sight line even more of an issue
I have looked for a pre-planning meeting so I will hopefully get more answers at that.

Thanks again and keep the info coming :) .

P.S. Is the setback 3 or 3.5 metres and is it from the centre or edge of the road.
 
Re: Site size & distance of house from road

You'll have to check the setback distance with the Development Plan in your local authority area. They may require you to put in place a hardstand area, which will allow one car to pull in and the other to pass by, this is common place now!, you may as well remove the whole hedge and replant behind your sightline envelope.
 
Re: Site size & distance of house from road

JoeHooker said:
You'll have to check the setback distance with the Development Plan in your local authority area. They may require you to put in place a hardstand area, which will allow one car to pull in and the other to pass by, this is common place now!, you may as well remove the whole hedge and replant behind your sightline envelope.
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Thanks Joe

I've just spent the last while reading the development plan (should have read it before :eek: ) and have gleaned the following:
  • building line is 20 metres - could be a problem
  • min size of site is 0.2 Ha
Can't find anything about setback or sight line distances yet (the document is quite big)
 
Re: Site size & distance of house from road

Check the section that deals with technical standards or roads requirements.

In relation to the building line there is a possibility that it could be reduced because of the existing adjacent house

BTW - What county are you in?
 
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Re: Site size & distance of house from road

nutty nut said:
Check the section that deals with technical standards or roads requirements.

In relation to the building line there is a possibility that it could be reduced because of the existing adjacent house

BTW - What county are you in?
Click to expand...

Hi nutty

I'm in Co Limerick - still looking for setback and sight lines
 
Re: Site size & distance of house from road

Pages 142 to 146 of this document will help -

Also pages 168 & 169
 
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Well, it was a surprise for me anyway!

Following on from here, http://www.askaboutmoney.com/showthread.php?t=50391, I had a pre-planning meeting with Limerick Co Co. I went to the meeting with one problem and came away with another.

Contrary to my belief, there appears to be no problem with the site size, sight lines etc. The problem lies with me, apparently!

A brief personal history - in late 30's, married with 2 kids. "born and bred" in location of site. Moved out in 1990 when third level education finished. Currently living and working in Co. Tipperary, about 35 miles from the site. Own current house.

The site is located next to my parents house and on my parents land. Our family has lived in the locality for several hunderd years, at least. Wife also from area. Hoping to build house and commute to work in Co. Tipperary.

I was informed that my planning application would probably fail as I had no "need". Maybe I was naive in the extreme, but I though that I would have no problem with the actual permission but that the site was unsuitable!!

Does this sound right? Or was the planner just trying to put me off?

Any replies would be greatly appreciated.
 
You should look up your county development plan (online hopefully) and see what it defines local needs as.

In laois for example you need to have lived for seven years of your life within 3 miles of the site or have a requirement to live in an area e.g. a teacher newly appointed to a rural school would have a need to live in the area.

I would have thought you being from there would be sufficient. I've heard of people having to sell up to demonstrate their need for a house i.e. go renting! I'm not suggesting this to you though.

Don't be too put off though just yet.

We applied for full permission last nov. on a site that had outline planning permission. In the preplanning meeting the planner told me they could apply local needs even though there was no clause in the outline planning.
We got full planning permission without the need being an issue. If the site hadn't had opp we'd have been turned down.

Also try ringing the planning office and ask them about local needs. Don't give a name and don't mention that you've already had a preplanning meeting. I've found them more likely to help you if they don't know they could contradict a colleague.

Good luck.
 
The problem is that you already have a house.

Selling your house in the hope of getting planning is NOT recommended.

If where you are planning on working is close to where the proposed house is, and your existing house is too far for a commute, you may be able to argue that you do have a housing need.

Talk to a good architect/planning consultant. (Worth it for the potential gain in getting Planning).
 
From my experience, for the council to consider granting you planning you must prove to them that you have 3 specific needs.

1. A local need (eg kids attending creche/school, members of local GAA club, bank, credit union etc)
2. A functional need (eg working in the area, farming land in the area)
3. A housing need (i.e that you do not already own a house in the area)

If you can satisfy them that you meet the above criteria then you are in with a fighting chance. Otherwise you are going to have to jump through a seemingly endless amount of hoops to even be considered.

If you own a house that is not in the same county as you are applying then it may be somewhat more straightforward however I would advise getting the input of whatever local councillors or TD's that have experience in these matters.
 
Thanks for all the replies so far.

Just to clarify a few things:

1. The house that I own is in another county i.e. tipperary
2. I will not be moving my place of employment - I will continue to work in Tipperary

From the comments so far, it doesn't look good!
 
You need to talk to someone who deals with planning applications in your area all the time, like an engineer, architect. They should have an idea about what boxes you need to tick.
A suggestion as your going to live next door to your parents is to say that you will talk care of them as they get older - therefore providing a 'local' service. I know that works, although it might need bolstering with something else.

Oh and the local councillor thing is another avenue you should try .... horrible but it works
 
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