BUILDING a new property or converting an existing barn, shed, or ruin on your farmland can be a relatively straightforward process if you seek professional advice from a specialist architect or planning consultancy before you embark on your project.

That’s the message from specialist Ryan Urquhart, co-director of architectural and building consultant Baxter Design Company, based in Mintlaw, Aberdeenshire. “The first thing to do is come to a professional to talk through what you have in mind and we’ll be able to point you in the right direction and, based on our experience, tell you if your project is likely to go through planning easily.

“Some people go to their planning department first but that could present issues – even something as simple as not wording things correctly could lead to an instant knockback. Companies like ours know how to do that so speaking to us first can save you both time and money.”

Ryan also cautions that it may not be possible to build your property where you want – even when you own the land. “You might have chosen an idyllic location but you have to consider how you’re going to get utilities to service it,” he points out. “You’re going to need water, electricity, telecoms, and so on but it may not be possible to connect you if they’re miles away.

“Other barriers could be if you are close to ancient woodlands, or if the location is prone to flooding – all these things must be taken into consideration. For example, we would check with Sepa Maps (Scottish Environment Protection Agency) on any flooding issues as there could be drainage costs to factor in so in those circumstances we might advise you to opt for an alternative site.

“If you are confident that there are services for your site and that it adheres to the local authority’s planning policy, and your architect or planning consultancy is also confident, then you can move forward with full planning and design.

“However, if we flag up any issues that we think can navigate around based on our experience, then we would advise you to go for outline planning first. This is a more stable option if you are less risk-averse.

“All of these things will be explained to you when you speak to an expert who should be able to have a no-obligation chat with you, free of charge, in the first instance.”

As people familiar with the planning process will be aware, it’s not always a quick one. “If an application is straightforward, it will likely go through in two to four months although it could be longer,” says Ryan. “Many take a lot longer and we were involved in one that took nearly a year due to staff changes in the planning department. Sometimes it’s the luck of the draw.”

For children coming back home to help run the family farm with the aim of building their own home there, the process can be somewhat complicated. Again, the rules vary depending on which local authority you are dealing with it could be that you have to build on the main farm ‘hub’, effectively creating a manager’s house, and it would be close to where the parents’ existing home.

“Clearly not everyone wants to live next door to their parents so in a case like that, your architect or design consultancy sometimes has to push planning boundaries. Sometimes it comes down to the way you frame the application and word it but another way around that would be to develop an existing structure as opposed to going for a completely new build.”

Biodiversity, Ryan points out, is a key part of Scotland’s National Planning Framework so planning departments want to see applications that take this into consideration. He says: “The Scottish Government has said that it wants to encourage sustainable development in rural areas.

“That means that the materials used in your build should be sympathetic to the surroundings and planning officials will also be looking for you to reuse existing materials like stone and timber if it’s a barn conversion, for example. Energy-efficient heating systems such as heat pumps and solar panels will also win you brownie points.

“Like many people nowadays farmers will watch TV home design shows and get ideas for how they want their new property to look,” Ryans continues. “Some will still opt for a traditional look and would be happy with a basic bungalow but others want something quirkier, with floor-to-ceiling windows, angled roofs, timber cladding and so on.”

TOP TIPS

• Seek professional advice from an architect or planning consultancy before embarking on the planning process

• Be prepared for the process to take a long time – it may prove to be plain sailing but you may also come up against barriers that can be overcome with planning officials but not necessarily quickly

• Don’t be despondent if your chosen site turns out to be unsuitable because it’s too far away from services or is on a part of your land that is prone to flooding – it happens all the time

• Sustainability and biodiversity are key – opt for energy-efficient heating systems and reuse existing materials if your build is a barn conversion or on the site of a building that has fallen into disrepair. Ecological studies may be required too to ensure that wildlife isn’t disturbed

SHARE YOUR JOURNEY

If you are in the process of building a property on your farm or land and would like to share your journey with us, please get in touch. We’d like to hear how the experience has been for you – the good, the bad and the ugly. Email karen.peattie@thescottishfarmer.co.uk