Planning to Expand your Business?

How to get the Local Planning Authority on Board. With planning policy and controls becoming increasingly stringent, many local business are put off by the idea of large scale development or even redevelopment of their sites. Whilst we are under no illusions that the time and costs of large scale planning can be considerable, it […]

Posted on December 8th, 2016 by

What else could I do with my farm buildings?

buildings

What else could I do with my farm buildings? We are often asked what else could I do with my farm buildings, particularly in recent months when all agricultural sectors seem to be struggling with low prices and high input costs. Alternative income streams can provide a stable income to level out the undulations of […]

Posted on October 28th, 2016 by

2016 – A busy Expert Witness year.

  We don’t talk about expert witness work much as it’s one of those areas that quietly happens and matters are almost always confidential. We have however been very busy in 2016 with various rural and development expert witness work so thought it worth detailing the sort of subjects we have dealt with: Report for […]

Posted on October 28th, 2016 by

How to get planning consent for a Glamping site?

glamping

The popularity of glamping means more people are now looking at starting Glamping businesses, but it is important to start with the proper consents and permissions.  One of the most important consents to obtain before investing, is planning consent. Andrew Troughton of Carver Knowles is a Property consultant who specialises in rural planning and also […]

Posted on June 24th, 2016 by

Spring news from Carver Knowles

Landmark News

For all the latest news and views from Carver Knowles this Spring, please take a look at our Landmark newsletter.   This edition gives the highlights from our Ledbury Farm Diversification Event, discussion of the latest nuances in the planning system,  as well as how to deal with a planning refusal, a summary of our […]

Posted on March 22nd, 2016 by

Planning Appeals – What are my chances?

With the recent recruitment of Planning Consultant, Simon Rowles, to the Planning team at Carver Knowles, and in light of recent planning appeals  in the Three Counties area, there is an opportunity to review any planning decisions you have received within the last 6 months. The following are brief summaries of recent appeal decisions that […]

Posted on February 29th, 2016 by

Join us for our Farm Diversification and Planning meeting.

Farm diversification and planning…  Join us on 10th February at Ledbury Rugby Club Have you ever wondered: How to make more money out of existing buildings? Is planning needed to diversify? Who’s the best to borrow from for diversification projects? How a new non farming business project should be structured? Is now a good time to sort out […]

Posted on January 28th, 2016 by

Changes to Government guidance of Permitted Barn Conversions

barn conversions permitted development

The change of use of agricultural buildings to residential use is permitted under Class Q of the General Permitted Development (England) Order 2015.  The updated Class Q permitted development right, as published on 15th April 2015, allow development consisting of— (a) a change of use of a building and any land within its curtilage from […]

Posted on January 13th, 2016 by

New Year, New Appointment for Carver Knowles

Worcestershire based Chartered Surveyors, Carver Knowles have appointed Planning consultant Simon Rowles as their newest recruit to their expanding planning consultancy team. Simon joins us from Malvern Hills District Council Planning Services and brings with him a depth of experience and knowledge in town and country planning and has a focused interest in the Three […]

Posted on January 4th, 2016 by

Time to remove holiday occupancy conditions from barn conversions?

Holiday occupancy condition

During the 1980’s and 1990’s there were excellent grants around for converting barns to holiday cottages as a method of farm diversification. Planning laws also encouraged the re-use of barns for tourism enterprises as well so many barns were converted across England. If this was you and you have been managing a single holiday cottage […]

Posted on November 13th, 2015 by