Outhouse - planning permission required?

[jodyflorian]

Hi,

Are there any kinds of self-builds which would not require planning permission?

I'm considering buying a plot of land with an existing building but that requires serious renovation. Are there any kinds of buildings which could be created, either replacing, next to or perhaps extending the existing property that would not require planning permission etc? I'm just looking for ideas that would bypass as much beaurocracy as possible, I'm in the beginning of the planning stages. I would ideally want to create an eco-home from scratch myself.

Thanks

Jody

[Gastines]

Is the existing building a house,occupied or just a barn? Any alterations to the exterior of the building will require permission anyway and if it's not classed as a habitation you'd better find out quick. First stop the Mairie and ask whoever deals with planning what you need to do first.

Regards.

[cooperlola]

By-passing bureaucracy and living in France are mutually exclusive in my experience! 

[Albert the InfoGipsy]

Gastines' questions are also apposite because if the existing building is actually a house then you can build a structure of up to 20 m2 in its grounds (sounds posh!) with just a declaration prealable. Basically you fill in a form but it doesn't actually require permission -- if there's no objection after a month then you can start. I'm pretty sure this doesn't apply to unconverted barns or to houses that have been empty for long enough to become derelict.

This explains it pretty well in English

http://www.french-property.com/guides/france/building/planning/works-declaration

This is the official French info:

http://vosdroits.service-public.fr/N311.xhtml

[jodyflorian]

Thanks for the links - just what I was looking for.

[quote user="cooperlola"]By-passing bureaucracy and living in France are mutually exclusive in my experience! [/quote]

LOL... Reminds me of an Al-Murray Quote, "where would we be with too

many rules? ...Germany!" I guess France must be similar then!

I have the luxury of still being in the stage of looking for appropriate land/property so I'll just take the path of least resistance! Converting a barn sounds like it might be the best option then. I was hoping for something around 50m2 or more.

Thanks again

[Albert the InfoGipsy]

In your first post you mention building an eco-home. I'd strongly recommend buying an empty plot and building from scratch. You'll get better insulation and draught proofing, plus a decent passive solar design will reduce your capital and running costs for heating to almost negligible proprtions. A lot of people on this and similar fora are justifiably obsessed with the cost of heating fuels.

Also, a new build will probably come out cheaper than a barn conversion for a given size.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Passive-Solar-House-Using-Design/dp/1933392037

http://www.eere.energy.gov/consumer/your_home/designing_remodeling/index.cfm/mytopic=10250

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Passive_solar_building_design