13/06/2026
Last week we received an "unconventional" Planning Approval for 2 No. of detached 'Self Build' Dwellings which utilise an existing 1950's Garage Block in Staffordshire Moorlands. We were really excited to gain this approval for several reasons and I will provide a full Blog style write up below for those interested:
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PLANNING APPROVAL FOR 2 SELF BUILD DWELLINGS IN SMDC
I met a potential Client in around 2024 and for the sake of this post we will call this person RR. We started out with a casual meet up where RR was looking to learn more about how he could build his own new house on a piece of land, ideally isolated, without borrowing money, and the style would be the A-Frame style 'Avram' kit home. I love these as much as anyone but I had to break it to RR, this probably wasn't going to be policy compliant and realistically the green land which is within budget is usually the land where PP isn't easy to obtain. Such is the target of policy makers and government (but that is a different topic). RR valued my advice and he said when he had a site he would be in touch.
Around a year later, RR popped back into my inbox, he had a site, it was bought already! (please stop doing this Clients - always engage with your consultant in advance) the site was a nice piece of land, it was green, bordered by a brook, and it contained 13 Garage Buildings that had previously had asbestos type flat roofs.
Work had already begun on a conversion without any drawings, more based on a (well-thought-out) dream, it was thought out, but it was not properly considered. Construction work had begun, unauthorised high boundary treatments had been erected, the roofs had been safely disposed.
Ordinarily I could pretty well guarantee that I could get 1 big house on this site or maybe 2 smaller bungalows but there was a fatal flaw. Not only would the above be way over budget, but there was also multiple sewers running through the site which would prevent any 'New Build' and a flood risk zone to contend with.
RR assured me he had a plan A, B and C. But Plan A was to convert the buildings. This was unconventional, the single skin Garage Buildings were something I'd not seen anyone take on before in a re-use but it was valid that the buildings were no different to a barn, they in fact looked a lot more stable. Given the presence of Sewers and the limited budget this seemed a good option but I was, by no means confident given that SMDC can be one of the most difficult local authorities.
RR showed me a precedent photo he had been comparing and it looked really good. I was concerned with how SMDC would take this one but had already warmed to RR as a person. Usually B3architectural is able to sell near-guaranteed results and a professional service but this project was 50-50 in my view.
I offered to take on the job at a considerably reduced rate on the basis that I would not be doing bespoke design work, only trying to obtain principles for the site. I did not want RR to waste money on an idea SMDC would not support.
RR signed up straight away and paid our Stage 0 Deposit to start work and there is a message here too, RR's swift payment and respectful, appreciate attitude was refreshing and something you don't often get, not even from millionaire Clients to whom these deposits are small amounts to.
We started out on the designs and it was easy to get drawn into providing additional detail for what was ultimately quite a fun idea, as I looked at the site in detail my confidence was rising and we had a credible design which I could see no valid reason to refuse other than for the fact they were "unconventional" flat roof garages which were not necessarily an easy conversion. It could be argued potentially that their viable life was over now.
In the end (out of goodwill) we had designed the entire scheme with floor plans, elevations, detailed site plans showing drainage, landscaping, flood zones, amenity spaces and even 3D Visuals. This was not what we quoted for (basic / principle establishing plans) but the beauty of being a busy small business is that if I want to do something / put more into a design I can... In the end we submitted for Full Planning for approx. £2800 including SMDC Planning Fees. An incredibly low fee but it reflected the fact that we were not necessarily selling a result here.
The Planning process was incredibly long here, in total taking 8 months (we submitted around 19-09-25), we were fortunate to have a good Case Officer although they were overloaded with work and it took some real negotiation to get them in a place to determine.
During the Application there were no objections from any statutory body, the site did not breach any policies as I had grown to expect, the only issue was with "Design". The Parish Council took issue with the fact the converted Garages "were surprisingly, going to look like Garages", it had been ok for the last 60-70 years but we took their point on board!
I spoke to the Client and TRUSSFORM, we could actually do a vaulted scissor truss or Fink Truss with more conventional quilt type insulation and a tiled roof for less than a Flat / Monopitch warm roof, especially given that I had specified a standing seam metal roof previously to try and justify the previous roof type on grounds of quality.
The traditional authority much preferred the prospect of a Clay Tile Roof and RR preferred the sound of a reduced budget as this was a limited project. This final change to the drawings was completed in February 2026.
After much further discussion, negotiation and ironing out matters in relation to Land Ownership, Ecology (Bats), Flood Risk and evidence relating to 'Self Build' occupancy the Council shared their draft Conditions.
On 01-06-26 we finally received the long awaited Approval for 2 Self Build Dwellings. RR was so relieved. Now the fun moves to making the ideas come to life with a full detailed 'Technical Design' package.
For me, this is one of the best approvals I have got for somebody, not because of the size, design, or complexity instead because I know it will make a massive difference to the Clients lives and at the outset I would never have taken a bet on this one.
