Topic: possibility or dream

[Lady Cosmos]

Do you think it is possible to turn  a pasture paddock and / or a paddock with sand in a proper vegetable garden ever???

[katynewbie]

 ;D

Absolutely possible, and definitely my dream! Just a matter of getting it ploughed and working it solidly for about 20 years! Is this something you have been offered? I would snap their hands off and go for it!

 ;)

[moonbells]

Possible, but do make sure you get planning permission first! It's a change of use of land and councils get very stroppy if you don't have the right paperwork. It's designed to stop indiscriminate building on green sites.

moonbells

[Lady Cosmos]

Moonbells, do you need PM  Even if it belonged to you own land? ???

[Robert_Brenchley]

Unless the law has changed, if you can get away with something for four years, then you're OK. in theory you nead PP for a lot of things, in practice you can just do them as long as nobody can see to report you.

[amphibian]

It depends what you mean by a 'garden' you certainly do not need planning permission to turn pasture into crop producing land.

[Lady Cosmos]

It is a piece of land used at the moment as a pasture paddock for horses and there is a piece of land, a paddock ( sand) used for horses and IF  I  buy that,  I think :: is it possible to make a proper veg garden at the grass part or at the sand one.

I never had the idea that there was PP involved as well ???

[monkey puzzle]

Would have a quiet word with the Planning Officer before buying the land.  Local Authority might view this as change of use and therefore will require Planning Permission.

Good luck.  Sounds a great opportunity.

[Lady Cosmos]

I checked the Planning  Permissions Local Regulations on the Internet, but I cannot see anything like that.  ???I am in the Netherlands, so I have to check that out in UK with the Local Planning Officer :o :o as soon as possible. pfff...

[moonbells]

Ah - you're not in the UK - you may have saner planning laws then...  ;)

Don't know what the situation's like there - probably a lot better!

moonbells

[Lady Cosmos]

Sorry Moonbells, being not clear, I live in the Netherlands, but am very busy to return to UK, so I am trying to buy a house with some land in UK. But it has a few paddocks with it and NO veg garden. Thinking how impossible it will be or dofficult it will be to change one of them, the one with grass or the one with sand , into a vegetable garden.  ??? ???

[amphibian]

Sorry Moonbells, being not clear, I live in the Netherlands, but am very busy to return to UK, so I am trying to buy a house with some land in UK. But it has a few paddocks with it and NO veg garden. Thinking how impossible it will be or dofficult it will be to change one of them, the one with grass or the one with sand , into a vegetable garden.  ??? ???

My understanding is that you need planning permission to extend a domestic garden in to fields, but that you do not need permission to use a field for vegetable production. As for how easy it is to turn pasture into a working veg plot, the answer will depend on the soil quality, but typically if ploughed and sown with green manure a workable field should be obtained with relative ease. The turf ploughed in will aid the soil too.

[keithy]

Probably a darn sight easier than some council allotments I've read about here !! No glass, scrap metal, decaying sheds, rusty lawnmowers, marestail, couch, plastic bags, vandals, allotment secretaries ..... 

Go for it !!

[Svea]

again i am not qualified to give a correct answer, but i agree with amphibian - if youleave it as a field where you grow vegetables than that should definately be possible. it may become more difficult if you want to put a fance around it, for instance (unless it has that already) - as this may be seen as 'extending your domestic garden'

i would ask the planning officer - you can be vague and not tell them the address this is concerning, btw - that you intend to use part of the land as an allotment/for vegetable production instead of keeping horses. don't call it 'vegetable garden' - the word 'garden' may set off alarm bells if any.

good luck

[Lady Cosmos]

Thanks for all your comments. Within 2 weeks I am off (again) to UK and than  hopefully I can sort things out.  :)

[OliveOil]

i would say the grass paddocks would be easier. The sand paddock may be a menage with membrane and hardcore, or may just have hardcore underneath for drainage.

[Lady Cosmos]

Yes, I was thinking about that too. I must not forget my spade when I will see that house, what is under all that sand ;D ;D

[artichoke]

I do remember a case in the RHS journal "The Garden" where a couple extended their flower garden into their own fields, creating a vast a beautiful show garden after years of work and were ordered to plough it up and return the fields to pasture because they had not thought of PP. I didn't follow it through so don't know what happened in the end.

What about ringing the RHS? Someone must know for sure what the legal answer is if you just want to grow vegetables. That saves alerting the planning department, and it is the sort of thing the RHS exists for.

[kitty]

thats a good idea artichoke..
we live in an old village school next to fiels-it had no playground as it is v. small and only served about 30 kids-but it is next to a big arable field and the farmer kindly gave the schoolhouse a largish corner to use as a garden i perpetuity-seems to have been no prob with councils but then we are very rural lincolnshire.....

always best to check anonn....anumou.....without giving your name!

whereabouts will it be lady cosmos?

she said nosily...
kitty

[Lady Cosmos]

Hey Kitty, how can I stay anonn... anumou.....  ANONYMOUS  ;D ;D, if I tell where it is??? ??? ???
Stay a bit nosey for a bit. I tell you when I am back in the Netherlands  ( and if I succeed, of course, otherwise I am crying my eyes out)  :( :(  , I promise.