Dorset Council (former East Dorset District Council):  Darryl Howells, a director of Pure Town Planning has secured full planning permission for the conversion of a domestic garage positioned inside the Green Belt, to a detached 2-bedroom bungalow.    The plans were prepared by Emma Lack of EKL Design Limited but the client instructed Darryl to submit the planning application, due to his extensive experience and recent successes of other approved developments elsewhere in the Green Belt.

National and Local Plan policies regard new development inside designated Green Belt to be inappropriate and therefore by definition harmful.  That said, there is commentary in the National Planning Policy Framework to support conversion of existing buildings to alternative uses.

Darryl used his localised planning knowledge and arguments to persuade the planning officer to accept the proposed development, in particular that the scheme would not prejudice the openness of the Green Belt and allowing residential development in a less than preferred sustainable location in terms of accessibility to shops and services, would be acceptable in policy terms.   The scheme was subsequently approved under the officer’s delegated powers.

Once the client was informed of the outcome, the individual was very pleased and praised Darryl for his professionalism, experience and commitment to the scheme.  If you have an existing building in a Green Belt location and you want to change its use to something use, including residential then contact a planning consultant from Pure Town Planning to commence that discussion.