Obtaining Planning Permission?

[Lautrec]

We have a large garden; set out mostly as lawns and trees; which is now proving too much work for me to keep neat and tidy. It would be advantagous to me, in more ways than one,  if I could obtain planning permission on the unwanted half and to put it on the market as a building plot.

So how does one go about approaching the Maire to take steps in this direction? Should one approach our immediate neighbours first to guage their reactions? It would be nice to hear from anyone who has already gone down this road!

[Nick Trollope]

Visit your Mairie & look at the cadastral plan for the area. Your plot will be marked with it's buildable status - if it is buildableupon (wonderful, invented word, eh?) then apply for a Certificat d'Urbanism - outline planning permission, effectively. Talk to your neighbours out of courtesy, although there are only limited circumstances under which they can object (and not to a CdU). None of this will cost anything, apart from some photocopy charges.

If granted, sell the land with the CdU, or go for a full Permis de Construire first (although you would need to specify a design, which may not be to your markets' taste). Best return would be to develop the plot yourself - there are often grants available for the building of low-cost or rentable housing.

If the land is isolated, consider access for vehicles as, although every commune, commuanté, department, region etc (how many kevels of local government have I missed?) applies the rules differently, most insist on x parking spaces per dwelling.

 

 

[Lautrec]

Thank you Nick! Very informative reply, which does give us something to think and to act upon.

I will start making tentative overtures and see how the land lies! It certainly makes more sense to develop and build it yourself and the word 'grant' made my ears prick up! I suppose also, that my bank would consider a mortgage on a new build such as this!

If you have any more information to add, I would appreciate it and to hear from anyone else who has already done this!

[Poppy]

There are also interest free mortgages available at the minute www.logement.gouv.fr The site is a bit daunting  and criteria a bit strict but leaflets are available in most banks and you might just qualify. Good luck, we had thought about dividing our land up but unfortunately it is not buildableupon. Lovely word Nick.