tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7588408373722916436.post1639155121517578937..comments2024-03-25T23:53:09.151-07:00Comments on Surveying Property: Property/Land Development - Do Your Homework! - The Value of Desktop StudiesGary O'Neillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15686620694822791314noreply@blogger.comBlogger1125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7588408373722916436.post-76805208161732580722014-09-07T01:22:36.924-07:002014-09-07T01:22:36.924-07:00Other immensely valuable information is also freel...Other immensely valuable information is also freely available, like whether your building, or a nearby one, is English Heritage listed, or stands in a Conservation Area. Both of these factors may have a very significant effect on what you can and can't do with the property. http://www.english-heritage.org.uk/professional/protection/process/national-heritage-list-for-england/ <br /><br />As importantly, you should ensure that any alterations to the property you want to buy or lease have the necessary consents in place. If they don't, you could be facing the legal and financial consequences of putting right unauthorised works. Checking is a job for a professional and specialist advisers are available, as is specialist insurance. Assessing your development requirements as well against heritage restrictions should be done long before the surveying and contracts exchange stage. <br /><br />Finally, change of use. Many buildings, previously in a commercial or public use, can make interesting and unusual homes. However, be sure that you have taken well informed advice from a planning consultant before embarking on a scheme of alteration or conversion. There may in some cases be special protection for the conversion of say pubs to non-pub uses and you should be sure that there is a high likelihood of consent before taking it any further. You can get free advice from the local planning department as a preliminary view.<br /><br />Dale Ingram, Historic Buildings & Planning ConsultantAnonymousnoreply@blogger.com