Accountants in Wimbledon- New planning rules reduce red tape for farmers

New planning laws that have come into force simplify the conversion of unused farm buildings into new homes, farm shops, and gyms. These changes aim to help farmers diversify and expand their businesses without the burden of submitting planning applications. Get in touch with our Wimbledon accountants to explore how these changes could benefit your farming business.

Farmers can now repurpose agricultural buildings and land for various new uses, including outdoor sports facilities, larger farm shops, and training centers.

Permitted development rights already allow farmers to make some changes without needing planning permissions, but these have now been extended to provide greater freedoms. For instance, the number of homes that can be provided through converting agricultural buildings has doubled from five to ten, provided certain conditions like space and natural light are met. This initiative supports the development of rural housing, enhancing the availability of homes in rural areas. Get in touch with our Wimbledon accountants to learn more about maximising these new development rights.

Key changes include:

• Doubling the allowable floorspace for converting agricultural buildings to commercial use from 500 to 1,000 square meters.
• Increasing the size of new buildings or extensions that can be built on larger farms (over 5 hectares) from 1,000 to 1,500 square meters, and for smaller farms from 1,000 to 1,250 square meters.
• Doubling the number of homes that can be created from agricultural buildings from five to ten.
• Protecting important archaeological sites by restricting new developments near them.

See: Planning Red Tape Slashed for Farmers.

Get in touch with our Wimbledon accountants today to discuss how these new planning laws can help your business thrive.