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[admin]

The publication of the National Planning Policy Framework appears to herald the withdrawal of PPS7 along with all the other PPGs and PPSs and the technical advice contained in Annexes A and E of PPS7 have also been ‘lost’. Annex A dealt with agricultural workers’ dwellings and Annex E explained the practical operation of agricultural permitted development under Part 6 of the Second Schedule to the General Permitted Development Order.

The ‘loss’ of Annex A potentially poses a problem, but in practice I believe this is readily overcome. The only reference to agricultural workers’ dwellings in the NPPF is in paragraph 55, which simply states that local planning authorities should avoid new isolated homes in the countryside unless there are special circumstances such as (inter alia) the essential need for a rural worker to live permanently at or near their place of work in the countryside. No guidance is given in the NPPF as to the use of agricultural occupancy conditions or as to their removal (but see below). However, “the essential need for a rural worker to live permanently at or near their place of work in the countryside” can only be judged on an objective basis, and I strongly suggest that the methodology explained in Annex A to PPS7, whilst it no longer forms part of ministerial policy as such, is nevertheless the appropriate way in which this issue should be approached. It is well-established and well understood, and I would expect LPAs and planning inspectors to continue to apply this approach, even though PPS7 can no longer be called in aid as the authority for doing so.

It should also be remembered that Circular 11/95 (on the use of planning conditions) remains in force, and so paragraphs 102 to 105 of that circular continue to apply, dealing with agricultural occupancy conditions and their removal. In relation to the removal of an agricultural occupancy condition, paragraph 105 refers to the requirement to show that the existing need for dwellings for agricultural workers in the locality no longer warrants reserving a house for that purpose. This paragraph does not prescribe any particular method for assessing continuing need, but long-established practice, which is clearly supported by several relevant judicial authorities, will undoubtedly continue to apply.

As regards Annex E to PPS7, this simply re-stated the basic rules applying to agricultural Permitted Development which would apply in any event, even if they had never been referred to in PPS7. The withdrawal of PPS7 does not affect those principles in any way, and they continue to apply as they always did. My own inclination would be to continue to quote from the text of Annex E to PPS7 in order to explain these principles, but without necessarily citing this as the source.

Thus I do not believe there need be any change in practice relating to the provision of agricultural workers’ dwellings, and the methodology for assessing the functional need for such a dwelling, nor need there be any change of approach in relation into the imposition and removal of agricultural occupancy conditions. Similarly, the principles and practice relating to agricultural Permitted Development under Part 6 of the Second Schedule to the General Permitted Development Order will not change as a result of the withdrawal of PPS7.

[KChally]

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[Piglet]

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[che]

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[Buckshot]

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[che]

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[barrymoore]

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[surreydodger]

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[che]

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[surreydodger]

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[che]

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[surreydodger]

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[che]

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[surreydodger]

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