Planning permission for "finishing off" / renovating semi derelict property

[anb010]

I know this is a vague question and there are plenty of nuances but in general what would the position be regarding being able to "renovate" a semi derelict property?
Key points:
- Smallish stone house built probably in 19th c.
- Property has a council tax banding as of 1993
- Planning permission was granted in 1971 (!) for an extension, this was started at an unknown date but the roof appears to have never been put on so it's a shell with semi mature trees growing out of it
- Property is on it's own in the middle of 5 acres of woodland if that makes any difference, not in any SSSI or national park or anything like that.
- The main building has clearly not been lived in for some time, bit hard to tell from photos but part of roof seems to have caved in, Walls intact. No windows.
- Shropshire council
- It has been on for months, sold then sale fell through, went to auction didn't sell, still on market. Price seems low. Perhaps this tells me the answer to the question.

If I just rock up and crack on fixing the roof and worts bits and living in it is anyone going to care? Council? Can I check the status anywhere? At what point does a residential property become a derelict shell, is there a definition. I don't really want to make "pre planning" enquires or anything that might alert the council if can get away with renovating what is there on a like for like basis. My argument would be if I am paying council tax I should be able to live there...

 

[Murdochcat]

Who owns the property now? Who owns the surrounding land? Would you have right of access? Does it have any services connected?

Or are you thinking of squatting?

 

[anb010]

Will be buying it, it's up for sale. Will be the legal owner. There is direct gated access to council owned road. Not sure on services but would assume there is a connection for electric and septic tank at least. Looking at the state of the main building the electric won't have been turned on for a while. I would assume the surrounding land is upland farmland and woodland, it is all in a wooded valley.

 

[johnny2007]

Same property?

Derelict house in middle of field. Planning?!

Only needs a lick of paint and some weed killer :LOL: although it might not be so idyllic when HS2 comes rolling past! Ha! Got to be 30miles from that monstrosity!

www.diynot.com

It's too expensive for what it is, imo.

 

[Notch7]

you need to find out if the building still has residential use rights

if it doesnt you are just buying 5 acres of agricultural land graded as woodland

 

[anb010]

I saw that place as part of my search, heck no, 400k for a field with a collapsing building on it... i'm good thanks

I will see if this place has residential usage rights, which itself seems to involve contacting the council... Whole thing seems very artibrary and the local authority can just make something up depending on which way the wind is blowing as to whether they think I could live in it or not. It is not a land registry issue that says whether I live in a property, doesn't appear to be a planning persmission issue ie plenty of properties were built 100s of years ago way before planning permission was a thing, there is nothing formal noted that someone can legally live somewhere... doesn't seem to be anywhere I can just go and check, seems I have to contact the council and make my intentions known first which is kind of what I was trying to avoid...