The Unexpected Roundhouse

[THOaken]

I was on a quick recce trip around the countryside here on the east coast to find a good spot for camping. I revisited a nice little family owned mixed wood plantation called Blinkbonny woods as I once camped there. Turns out the farmer and his family had been making a roundhouse (cross between your typical iron age roundhouse and a hobbit house) in which campers could stay the night. It was thoroughly unexpected despite the fact the family wood has its own website. I had a look around and wanted to ask the owner some questions about its construction, but I couldn't find him. Anyway, here's some pictures of the inspirational project. I want to do something like this one day.

The family wood has a Facebook page as well and I managed to find a few construction shots of the thing. They must've been working on it since last winter as I remember camping there summer/autumn last year and it wasn't there when I visited.

If you want to take a look at its construction photos, take a look at their FB page: https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.572585026090408.145703.514062958609282&type=1

 

[ozzy1977]

That's like something you expect a Hobbit to live in

 

[leedsbrew]

That is cool'

 

[Harvestman]

Someone will ask the planning permission question in a minute...

 

[THOaken]

Someone will ask the planning permission question in a minute...

You mean to ask if they had permission to construct this roundhouse? It was built by the owner of the woods.

 

[rik_uk3]

You mean to ask if they had permission to construct this roundhouse? It was built by the owner of the woods.

May not mean its legal.

 

[mrcharly]

That looks like a nice neat roundhouse, thanks for taking the pictures and showing them to us.

I imagine that no planning permission would be required as it is definitely a 'temporary' structure; left to itself it will slump back into the woods. I've seen a much bigger version at the Rydale folk museum.

 

[bushwacker bob]

I think Rik was referring to your knowledge of the planning laws.
Nobody can build a permanent structure on their own land in the UK without having planning permission..................allegedly.

 

[CLEM]

I like that!

 

[andybysea]

Would'nt class that as a permanent structure surely???

 

[xylaria]

Nice roundhouse.

Obviously an immediate threat to Western civilisation and must be bombed to into sizeable hole

 

[Shewie]

Nice find, I was expecting to see stone footings or post hole marks when I saw the thread title

Looks cosy, I like the turf roof

 

[boatman]

Interesting statement that nobody can build a permanent structure without planning permission. Exempt farm buildings do not require it nor I think does a necessary shelter in a wood for the purposes of forestry.

 

[Dave Budd]

they usually still require a form of permission, even if not the same as a dwelling ;-) If it has a roof, then it is a structure, if it has walls then it is even more so; despite not being made of bricks and mortar. That round house would either require a prior notification of an agricultural or forestry building if the planning authorities see it as a shed, or planning permission for a part time (holiday) dwelling if they see it as somewhere you may sleep.

If the structure is moveable, even if not actually mobile, then it doesn't require permission. This is how you have caravans and sheppard huts or field shelters. allowed. They can have wheels of skids, but MUST be moveable without up rooting the structure

This is knowledge gained through building a number of structures in my woodland in Devon and due to nosy (and difficult) neighbours, have to do things by the book


n.b. The farm buildings (even such things as an open sided hay barn) requires at least the prior note to put up. If it is in a field then you need to have a certain minimum acerage to allow prior note, but forestry has no minimum acerage.

 

[wingstoo]

Would'nt class that as a permanent structure surely???

More than likely is a permanent structure as it isn't mobile or free standing, I have a large shed on my allotment, but it is not attached to my allotment, it is free standing so in theory it can be lifted and moved. The base is laid on three 4 X 2 timbers which are laid on flat slabs so nothing is permanent. I asked the local planning officers about it and they recommended this course of action when building it.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/76789218@N03/9775181541/in/set-72157635565941192

 

[didicoy]

Interesting statement that nobody can build a permanent structure without planning permission. Exempt farm buildings do not require it nor I think does a necessary shelter in a wood for the purposes of forestry.

Unfortunately farm buildings do require planning permission. also if this dwelling is intended for campers, then it would need planning consent. It could be allowed as a temp shelter for the purpose of habitation under the 28 day rule. Following this time the structure would need to be removed. If he has declared it as a forest workers building and can prove a need for such, then the planners would be favorable. However it would need a license if its primary use was for campers. My two pence worth.

 

[boatman]

http://www.fwi.co.uk/articles/15/03...gs-know-your-permitted-development-rights.htm

http://www.woodlands.co.uk/owning-a-wood/woodlands-and-planning-legislation/

 

[boatman]

With the benches that roundhouse looks like a shelter to me. And of course camping for more than 28 days does require some permissions.

 

[demographic]

Got some mates with a bit of woodland up there, doesn't look like their woodlands cos theirs is all conifers but they sometimes have parties up in their woods.
I really like the area and every time I come away from one of their parties I have this vague feeling of envy about their woodlands.

Really lovely people though so its easy to just wish them luck with it.

If I remeber right there's some thing about the Duke of (something or other that I can't remember) giving people a small area of land to keep as a smallholding. Seems that the planning restrictions are slightly more relaxed in that area because of it and there's a lot of smallholdings with caravans and buildings in those woods.

 

[hotchy]

I like this little dwelling, and would like to make one too. I have a small woodland area.

Down side is living in an ANOB, requires planning for any building over a certain square footage. Tempary or not ( any thing over the size of an average shed I think).

But I always say, Dont ask for permission- ask for forgivness