Ohhh… it’s a good question, isn’t it? We get asked this a lot (and with good reason!). So, do you need planning permission for your shepherd hut? Short answer is, it depends…
Before we get further into this blog, we stress that we are not planning consultants – in fact, we advise clients to get in touch with planning advisors very early on in the process. We also advise that customers seek out planning consultants with specific experience in shepherd huts and the caravans act. These people are specialists in their field and they understand the subject better, which should work well from a lot of different angles.
Each case really is individual. Some huts do require permission and some don’t. If you have a hut for domestic use and it’s in the curtilage of a domestic garden and is very much an ‘extra’ to the main building (as in, not a self contained property), you’re less likely to require permission. If the use is different, it’s outside the curtilage of the garden, or if you’re in an area like a National Park, AONB, SSI, conservation area, or if your house is a listed building, it might be different again.
There are lots of reasons a shepherd hut may or may not need permission… and that’s why it really is good idea to get an expert on board. A planning consultant will be able to help you in lots of ways, from having knowledge of the likelihood you’d get permission based on area history, through to knowing the town plans and whether or not tourism is a priority. Both could assist with a planning application. They’re also very aware of aspects that we have heard impact planning, so things like access to the site, access to service, egress, proximity to buildings and so on.
If you’re wondering whether a shepherd hut would be a good fit for you, your plans and more, call us and we will do our best to help, including giving you details of the planning advisors we recommend to our clients. It goes without saying that we’ll do all we can do to help you and your planning advisor if you’re looking to work with us and add a Blackdown Shepherd Hut to your flock.