
30th-31st May 2026 - time to get your dream home started!
GET TWO FREE TICKETS HEREI have found a property for sale that has planning permission for a separate dwelling. The new dwelling is to replace a small barn that is close to the existing house. There is permission to relocate the new dwelling some distance away as there is about 2 acres of land in all. The land could then be split resulting in 2 properties. It is being marketed for sale as a whole entity, with the expectation that the new owner would of the existing house would build the new dwelling. The difficulty it seems in selling separately is that the barn (which ultimately has to be demolished) is on land that would be retained by the existing house. So, to buy the land where the new dwelling will be situated would not be a straightforward case of buying land with planning permission. Is there potentially a legal solution to this, that would enable me to buy and build on the land?
Hi Liz, Unfortunately I can’t answer this one! This is a question to put to your solicitor. There should indeed be a legal mechanism that secures the demolition of the barn at the appropriate time, either via a condition of a sale or via a separate specific legal agreement between the parties. The person selling the plot must ensure the planning permission can be implemented, otherwise the value of the land would be severely compromised. So, it’s very much in their interests to agree a suitable legal mechanism with you.