Did you get planning permission for your field shelter?

P

Patchworkpony

Well-Known Member
Joined
24 July 2012
Messages
1,536
Visit site
I wondered just how many people have bothered to get planning permission for a field shelter, or have they just stuck one up and hoped for the best. Have they had any complaints from neighbours? I know the mobile ones don't need permission, in theory, but I understand that some councils can be very ****** and demand that they are moved on a regular basis. Any feedback very welcome.
 
We got planning for one field shelter by the stables back in the day the horses had full access to the stables and field shelter (half was sectioned off as a hay store). We have since fenced off the stable area, concreted an area and the field shelter is now a hay/straw store.

Therefore we needed a shelter out in the field which we put I without any planning. We have also moved it to another area of the field and didn't get planning for that either. However, we don't have any neighbours as such as our fields are bordered by the farmer's fields and, at the time, the track that leads to our stables just had a nursery at the end. That has since been turned in to two houses so I imagine, if we wanted to build anything else we may have to get planning permission in future!

Think a lot depends on your neighbours, who can see it and what your local council are like!
 
Plenty of people do stick up shelters and hope for the best. Many of them get away with it, but equally others don't.

If it's your own land, or on long term rental, I'd recommend that you go through the proper channels. In the last 5 years, we've put up 2 shelters, a stable block and an arena and we did it all properly with planning. The council were pretty helpful and the only problem we had was with the first shelter, where I was not allowed to erect it on my first choice site as it was deemed to be too close to the road. The new site actually works very well.

My neighbours were all perfectly happy with the proposed developments (none of them directly overlook it). However, recently some new people in the area put in a planning application for stables and an arena but without having the courtesy of mentioning it to their (very) close neighbours in advance. A big ruckus ensued and there was a lot of bad feeling, although planning was given the go ahead in the end. I know that both parties were studying our thankfully squeaky clean applications during the furore and I am sure that we would have got caught in the crossfire if we were not all above board.

If you intend to site your shelter directly onto an earth base you could chance it without planning, as you could move or sell it if there were problems later. If you intend to excavate out and prepare a concrete base then IMHO it's not worth the risk.
 
mine is moveable and moved probably once a year - never had anyone comment on it.

Equally I spoke to planning people on site here before applying for my american barn - they were really helpful and with a few tweaks based on their advice my application went straight through no problem (I did drawings myself and it didn't cost much really)
For a couple hours form filling - piece of mind for proper planning is worth it, I suspect if you anoy them by going ahead regardless application might be more tricky
 
I'll second that, Polos Mum, that the planning was easy. The firm we used for the stables and field shelters provided proper drawings costing £70 but refundable against the cost of the stables/shelters, and we did the planning application ourselves using those. Can't remember how much it was but not a lot.

The arena company did the planning for the arena for us, as that was a bit more complicated.
 
Last edited:
I have a friend who is a planning enforcement officer - they are clamping down a lot now on field shelters and stables which have been put up without planning permission. What's the point of putting one up without planning only to be then told it has to come down?
 
Thanks so much everyone. You have confirmed what I thought. Years ago we put up 2 shelters without permission and had no trouble but then we had nice neighbours. Not so lucky this time!
 
I've got two mobile shelters, never had anyone round to question whether they are mobile or not.
My shelters are at the bottom of a bank and are painted green so they arernt exactly eyesores on the landscape.
 
I got permission for mine not because it's overlooked or in anyone's way but as a courtesy really . I want planners on my side and don't want to be known for putting stuff up and hoping for the best .

I have noticed a big rise in new access drives on my street where people are creating new access ways onto their land and these never seem challenged whereas mine was in my full PP application .
I also heard councils are so cash strapped they are prioritising major build and minor stuff unless complained about is ignored.
 
I know someone who's erected a 60" long shelter without PP. It certainly isn't mobile either.
It's only a matter of time before someone tells the local council as she's forever falling out with people and the neighbours.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top