Planning Issues.

D

daxmadra

Guest
Hi

I am currently building a house with my parents. The planning permission is in my fathers name with no restrictive conditions. The building contract is in my name and I shall pay for all works carried out. I am also the registered owner of the land.

I have applied for a mortgage in my own name and this should be approved .

My question is regarding the title of the house , is there anything i should be aware of or problems that may arise if I want to put it solely in my name when it is completed.

Kind Regards
 
If you are the registered owner of the land, then likewise you will be the owner of the house. The conveyancing description would be something like "that plot of land with the house erected thereon....."

For mortgage purposes, you will ultimately (i.e. before loan cheque issues) need an Architects or Engineers Certificate or Opinion that the house was built in compliance with Planning Permission and in accordance with Building Regulations. You would need that anyway in the future if you sell.

mf
 
Planning Permission

There is a rear-access laneway at the back of the second-hand house I have just purchased which has a gate at the end to access it. To get the keys you need to join the residents association which we will now do. All the other houses on the street have gates in their back wall leading into this laneway and we would like to add one ourselves. Do we need planning permission for this?

Also, we are adding an extension to side of house (which will require planning permission) which will involve knocking the dining room wall. This wall currently has the chimney stack on it, and it takes up loads of room in the bedroom above. We want to remove the entire chimney stack from inside and outside the house - does this require planning permission or can we get cracking on this right away?

Is there any body that I can ring to get answers to the above?
 
If your planned extension requires planning permission, wouldn't it be little extra work to include the other two queries ie. Chimney stack removal and gate in the application? Mind you, I wouldn't have thought the gate requires planning, but am not sure. Does the relevent planning office not have a website? If it does, it may well have an "exemptions" section. Worth checking.
 
Hi,

Its in Crumlin so I think its covered under Dublin City Council (is that right?), but I didn't see anything in the exemptions that covers a specific issues like these two.

There is a lot of work to be done before the house is fit to be moved into and so we want to get as much done as possible right now so that we only have the extension to worry about when the planning permission comes through (I'm told the whole application process takes 3 months - is that correct?). By removing the chimney stack now I could get on with finishing the attic and upper bedroom, and by having the gate in the back wall I could have rear vehicular access to shift the waste.

I saw in another thread mention of a draftsman being a cheaper option than an architect - what does a draftsman do and does anyone have any recommendation of a draftsman or architect?
 
Try contacting the planning office to find out about exemptions.
You should have a decision on your planning application within 3 months alright.
 
Moving a cimney brest and knocking exterior walls is a major (and expensive) piece of work - regardless of how little or much you are actually adding.

Draftsmen will draw plans but not all will have the expertise necessary to advise you on the feasibility, usefulness or cost of what you envisage. An architect might be able to advise you on some lower cost alternatives to the extension you envisage yourself.
 
planinng permission

Include both of these (chimney & gate) in you planning permission, you should definitely wait up on the chimney as taking it down may constitute the beginning of work to your new extension. If you were really bursting for the gate you could always go ahead with it and you'll hear nothing from the council unless someone complains and then apply for a retention planning permission. But you really should do it all together and with full PP.

Sunnyday, 3 months usually ends up being 3 months 1 or 2 weeks, don't know why?
 
Re: planinng permission

Thanks jbob - does this mean that you know for sure that the chimney removal and addition of rear gate will require planning permission?
 
planinng permission

Rutigur - The chimney is massive when you think about it! It is a rectangle of bricks, very broad at the base and very very high! If it is in a supporting wall (and chimneys are usually on internal walls........again, think about it!.........taking it away without putting in adequate structural support could weaken the dwelling.

As previous posters have pointed out - this is quite a big job.

You should absolutely get professional advice and not launch into this yourself without guidance.

You mentioned a 'draftsman' in comparison with an architect. Draftsmen simply make scale-drawings for clients. That is the limit of that task, though many have other qualifications.

Perhaps what you have in mind is a Chartered Surveyor? She or he should be qualified and registered by The Society of Chartered Surveyors or he has knowledge of building. Their website lists Chartered Surveyors:-

www.scs.ie/aboutus/index.asp

Knocking an entrance through to a thoroughfare at the back of your property may require some other authority. Would your neighbours (who presumably have already been through the process) be your best informants on how to go about this?
 
Re: planinng permission

No permission required for gate into back lane.
 
Re: planinng permission

Not sure if you need PPM for chimney and gate but you deffo need a structural engineer (or an architect to organise one) for taking down a chimney as I'm sure you're already convinced, its a massive job.

Doubt if you need PPM for chimney actually as its internal but I could be wrong. The Planning office in the county council should easily answer this for you if you ring but make sure you talk to a planner and I'd get it in writing or ring 2-3 times to talk to different people. I've been given totally different information from different people in my planning office as often whoever answers the phone doesn't really know the answers for sure.
 
...

I've tried several times to get hold of the planner for the area but to no avail. I keep ringing the council offices and explain my query (i.e. do I need planning permission to remove the chimney?) and get put through to voicemails. I have left voicemails and emails for the guy in question but he hasn't got back to me. Any ideas on what I can do to get them to come back to me? Surely they, or someone else in the council, are obilged to provide the public with answers to queries like this?

I did get one guy on the phone for a few minutes but he seemed a bit clueless, said it wasnt a black and white issue - depends on the change to the appearance of the house, but 'youd be best putting it in with your application for the extension'. What kind of an answer is that to be giving - what if I wasn't applying for an extension?

I explained that the chimney is barely visible from the outside, and as its the end of a cul-de-sac and there is a wall separating ours with the next estate on the same side as the chimney, the only place our chimney can be seen is from the house directly opposite, and then its only partial. Guy said this would give it a better chance but nothing conclusive. I put this and a photo in an email to the planner but no reply.

My builder friend who will be helping with the removal reckons it is fine, but he'll mention it to a structural engineer just in case. Need to get it removed asap to allow us to do all the work upstairs....reckon if it does require permission we'll have to put in a steel support to prop the outer chimney stack up, and then remove the internal parts (could knock the outer parts if approval was granted).

As for an architect - still trying to source one - want to get one on personal recommendation as I just need them for a bit of design advice and then the drawings for the application so don't want to pay arm and a leg for this. The guy my builder friend normally uses is having a bypass. He would have done what I need for €1200 through the builder, so am looking for something along those lines.
 
Architect

I would advise you to talk to Quinn Hartnett architects. Based in Shankill 01 282 2360. RIAI qualified.
 
Re: Architect

Brodiebabe thanks for that I'll give them a call.

I still can't get hold of the planner for our area - have left 5 voicemails in the past week and tried his phone many other times besides that. Surely they are obliged to answer queries from the public?

We have a window to do the work to remove the chimney this weekend and really want an answer before then and am strongly thinking about just going ahead and doing it if he doesn't get back to me as the chimney is at the rear of the house and is barely visible from the road.

Does anyone have any ideas how I can get this guy to get back to me?
 
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