Get the right barn, stable or farm building designed and approved

For farmers, landowners and horse owners planning a new barn, livestock building, grain store, machinery shed or stables. Tell us about it and compare quotes from professionals who know farm buildings and the rules.

Farm buildings have to earn their keep. A livestock shed needs the right ventilation, drainage and handling routes, a grain store needs walls that can take the load, and a machinery shed needs doors wide and tall enough for modern kit. Stables and equestrian buildings bring their own needs for airflow, safe layouts and fire separation from hay and bedding. On the approvals side, many farm buildings in England can go ahead under agricultural permitted development after a prior notification to the council, while others need full planning permission. A good professional understands farming practice, picks a sensible site close to the existing farmstead, and can make a clear case for why the building is needed.

How a professional can help

• Siting and landscape fit: They help choose a position that works for access, services and the existing yard, while keeping the building low in the landscape and away from neighbours, watercourses and sensitive views.
• Prior notification to the council: Where agricultural permitted development may apply, they check the size of your holding and the building’s purpose, then prepare the notification with plans and details of materials and siting.
• Planning applications with an agricultural case: When full permission is needed, they explain why the building is reasonably necessary for the farm, with drawings, a design statement and any reports on ecology, drainage or landscape.
• Livestock and stable design: They plan pens, feed passages, stable sizes, ventilation and natural light around animal welfare guidance, and design safe routes for handling animals, mucking out and moving feed.
• Slurry, dirty water and drainage: They design yards with clean and dirty water kept apart, and coordinate any slurry, silage or fuel storage with an engineer so it can meet the pollution rules that apply.
• Structure and specification: With a structural engineer, they specify the frame, cladding, roof sheets and floors for grain loads, machinery or livestock, balancing durability, ventilation and build cost.

Is this right for you?

• You farm and need a new livestock building, grain store, machinery shed or general purpose barn.
• You keep horses and want stables, a tack room, a hay store or an arena near your home.
• You’re not sure whether your building can go ahead under agricultural permitted development or needs full planning permission.
• A grant application or a change in your farming system needs proper drawings and a clear specification.

How the project usually runs

• Farm visit and brief: The professional visits the holding to understand the enterprise, the existing buildings, access, services and how the new building will be used day to day.
• Siting and outline design: They agree the position, size and layout with you, choosing a frame, cladding and roof that suit the use, the landscape and your budget.
• Prior notification or planning application: They confirm the right route and submit it; under the notification route, the council decides whether it needs to approve details such as siting, design and external appearance.
• Building Regulations and pollution checks: They check whether the building is exempt from Building Regulations, and plan any notifications needed for slurry, silage or fuel storage and drainage before work starts.
• Construction: The frame supplier or builder puts up the building to the agreed drawings, and the professional can check key stages such as foundations, floors and drainage.

What affects the cost

• The size and type of building, and whether it is a simple open-sided shed or a fully enclosed, insulated building.
• Ground conditions, levels and how far the site is from existing tracks, water and power.
• Whether a prior notification is enough, or a full planning application with supporting reports is needed.
• Livestock or stable fit-out such as pens, partitions, feed barriers, drainage channels and ventilation.
• Slurry, dirty water or fuel storage that must meet pollution rules.
• Sensitive locations such as national parks, protected landscapes or sites close to homes.

Permitted development and other rules for farm buildings

• In England, agricultural permitted development depends on the size of the holding and the building being reasonably necessary for farming, and a new building usually needs a prior notification first. Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland have their own rules.
• Stables for horses kept for leisure are not usually treated as agricultural, so they normally need full planning permission.
• Many agricultural buildings are exempt from Building Regulations in England and Wales, but conditions apply, and buildings with offices, shops or other uses may not qualify.
• In England, a building put up under agricultural permitted development may have to be removed if farming use stops within a set period, unless planning permission is granted for another use.

Questions people ask

Do I need planning permission for a new agricultural building?

Not always. In England, many farm buildings can be built under agricultural permitted development if the holding is large enough, the building is reasonably necessary for agriculture and it meets limits on size, height and location. You normally have to notify the council first, and it can ask to approve the siting and appearance. Rules differ in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, so have a professional check your case.

Can I build stables on my land?

You’ll usually need planning permission, because keeping horses for leisure isn’t normally treated as agriculture. The council will look at the size and position of the stables, the effect on the landscape, access, manure storage and how much grazing land you have. Modest stables grouped with existing buildings, in materials that suit the area, are generally easier for a council to support.

What does a prior notification involve?

You tell the council about the building before you start, with a description, plans and details of the materials, and pay the application fee. The council then decides whether it wants to approve details such as siting, design and external appearance. Work shouldn’t start until that process allows it, so a clear, complete notification helps avoid delays.

Will my farm building need Building Regulations approval?

Often not, as many buildings used only for agriculture are exempt in England and Wales. The exemption has conditions, such as the building not being used as a dwelling or mainly for retail, packing or display, and not being close to buildings where people sleep. Buildings with other uses, such as a farm shop or office, may need approval, so check with building control before you build.

Could a new farm building be converted to a house later?

Don’t plan on it. Rules for converting farm buildings to homes are tight and differ across the UK, and in England a building put up under agricultural permitted development can face restrictions if its farming use ends. If you think you may want a different use in future, a professional can explain the options before you build.

Available across the UK

Professionals cover the whole of the UK: England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. Planning and Building Regulations differ between the four nations, and your professional will work to the rules that apply where your property is.

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