Green Building Forum - Has any off grid house got planning permission in England? Wed, 22 Apr 2026 10:38:59 +0100 https://www.greenbuildingforum.co.uk/newforum/ Lussumo Vanilla 1.0.3 Has any off grid house got planning permission in England? https://www.greenbuildingforum.co.uk/newforum/comments.php?DiscussionID=15335&Focus=262027#Comment_262027 https://www.greenbuildingforum.co.uk/newforum/comments.php?DiscussionID=15335&Focus=262027#Comment_262027 Tue, 10 Oct 2017 16:14:50 +0100 caspen With luck, I can use that precedent and not reinvent the wheel!
Many thanks]]> Has any off grid house got planning permission in England? https://www.greenbuildingforum.co.uk/newforum/comments.php?DiscussionID=15335&Focus=262031#Comment_262031 https://www.greenbuildingforum.co.uk/newforum/comments.php?DiscussionID=15335&Focus=262031#Comment_262031 Tue, 10 Oct 2017 17:15:53 +0100 djh
edit: with a more general meaning of 'off grid' you will have to get approval for sewage treatment that's not connected to the main sewer.

Sounds an interesting project. Do tell us more.

But I would advise at least putting ductwork in to ease a grid connection later, if circumstances change.]]> Has any off grid house got planning permission in England? https://www.greenbuildingforum.co.uk/newforum/comments.php?DiscussionID=15335&Focus=262034#Comment_262034 https://www.greenbuildingforum.co.uk/newforum/comments.php?DiscussionID=15335&Focus=262034#Comment_262034 Tue, 10 Oct 2017 18:44:34 +0100 SteamyTea I like the idea of it being modelled on a narrowboat, but you could just get a narrowboat.]]> Has any off grid house got planning permission in England? https://www.greenbuildingforum.co.uk/newforum/comments.php?DiscussionID=15335&Focus=262036#Comment_262036 https://www.greenbuildingforum.co.uk/newforum/comments.php?DiscussionID=15335&Focus=262036#Comment_262036 Tue, 10 Oct 2017 19:45:46 +0100 owlman Has any off grid house got planning permission in England? https://www.greenbuildingforum.co.uk/newforum/comments.php?DiscussionID=15335&Focus=262060#Comment_262060 https://www.greenbuildingforum.co.uk/newforum/comments.php?DiscussionID=15335&Focus=262060#Comment_262060 Wed, 11 Oct 2017 13:10:11 +0100 CWatters
Being off grid isn't a planning issue. They will care about the appearance of your PV array or rainwater tank not the fact that you are using a PV array or collecting rainwater.

When I asked our planning officer if building a sustainable house would make it easier to get planning permission he said "No, because all houses must be sustainable these days". Their view of sustainability is more to do with the availability of public services then being green. Some parts of the country have set targets for green development but far from all.

Water companies are statutory consultees and planners may take more interest in what you propose for your sewage even if it's not visible.

If the area has a very characteristic or historic appearance (eg stone everywhere) they sometimes like you to build more of the same or go very different so that it's obviously a later addition.]]> Has any off grid house got planning permission in England? https://www.greenbuildingforum.co.uk/newforum/comments.php?DiscussionID=15335&Focus=262068#Comment_262068 https://www.greenbuildingforum.co.uk/newforum/comments.php?DiscussionID=15335&Focus=262068#Comment_262068 Wed, 11 Oct 2017 13:37:51 +0100 djh
Environment Agency as well as the water company are also consulted.

There's a rather scary list of consultees at https://www.gov.uk/guidance/consultation-and-pre-decision-matters#Statutory-consultees-on-applications]]> Has any off grid house got planning permission in England? https://www.greenbuildingforum.co.uk/newforum/comments.php?DiscussionID=15335&Focus=262084#Comment_262084 https://www.greenbuildingforum.co.uk/newforum/comments.php?DiscussionID=15335&Focus=262084#Comment_262084 Wed, 11 Oct 2017 21:20:19 +0100 WillInAberdeen Has any off grid house got planning permission in England? https://www.greenbuildingforum.co.uk/newforum/comments.php?DiscussionID=15335&Focus=262085#Comment_262085 https://www.greenbuildingforum.co.uk/newforum/comments.php?DiscussionID=15335&Focus=262085#Comment_262085 Wed, 11 Oct 2017 21:32:08 +0100 djh
I connected to mains supply as being the easiest, especially as we get older, but I collect rainwater which is just used to water the garden at present. If circumstances change, I could think about adding filters etc.]]> Has any off grid house got planning permission in England? https://www.greenbuildingforum.co.uk/newforum/comments.php?DiscussionID=15335&Focus=262151#Comment_262151 https://www.greenbuildingforum.co.uk/newforum/comments.php?DiscussionID=15335&Focus=262151#Comment_262151 Sat, 14 Oct 2017 17:24:44 +0100 caspen
Not a narrowboat because I'm hoping we can build tight and with better thermal mass and solar gain.

Water - I'm told I can have a borehole supplying drinking water for approx £8K. Definitely more sustainable to have mains connection. And because it's a tiny build, I don't know how much rainwater we can collect. Hockerton shows usage but they collect on a number of houses. http://www.hockertonhousingproject.org.uk/water-systems/rainwater-harvesting/

Toilet - I was hoping to use the Humanure system by Joseph Jenkins. It's working well in our current home. http://humanure.net/manual.html - neither water nor electricity. But, to convince the local authority, I'll probably have to install a narrowboat-type toilet ie 12v electricity to dry out the solid waste for composting. I'm told the liquid is legally considered grey water and can be discharged into the ground.

Electricity - I'm thinking PVs and storage battery [wondering if Tesla batteries will be working properly in 12 months] and then minimal everything eg 12v fridge, etc.

No mains gas. Maybe a woodburning stove - thought it's possible heating won't be necessary. http://www.hockertonhousingproject.org.uk/eco-homes/new-build/

Thanks again - and if you come across any other useful info, I'd be delighted if you shared it.]]> Has any off grid house got planning permission in England? https://www.greenbuildingforum.co.uk/newforum/comments.php?DiscussionID=15335&Focus=262159#Comment_262159 https://www.greenbuildingforum.co.uk/newforum/comments.php?DiscussionID=15335&Focus=262159#Comment_262159 Sat, 14 Oct 2017 22:51:31 +0100 SteamyTea Posted By: caspenbetter thermal massOh dear, we have done this one to death I thought.
Apart from the terminology being wrong (thermal properties of mass), you will find that there is enough of this in just plasterboard, the rest is a read herring.


Posted By: caspenminimal everything eg 12v fridge, etc.
The Tesla power wall will not help you there.
You need to either design a 12V system from scratch or go for a 230V system.
230V has the advantage that fridges and microwaves are very cheap, and you can plug in a cheap generator.


Posted By: caspenMaybe a woodburning stove
Not sustainable, ecologically or environmentally, and not very good economically. There is plenty of debate on here about them.
Like 'thermal mass', wood burners are a hard idea to shift, regardless of the evidence against them.]]> Has any off grid house got planning permission in England? https://www.greenbuildingforum.co.uk/newforum/comments.php?DiscussionID=15335&Focus=262160#Comment_262160 https://www.greenbuildingforum.co.uk/newforum/comments.php?DiscussionID=15335&Focus=262160#Comment_262160 Sat, 14 Oct 2017 22:58:47 +0100 Nick Parsons
But they are notoriously difficult to read...]]> Has any off grid house got planning permission in England? https://www.greenbuildingforum.co.uk/newforum/comments.php?DiscussionID=15335&Focus=262161#Comment_262161 https://www.greenbuildingforum.co.uk/newforum/comments.php?DiscussionID=15335&Focus=262161#Comment_262161 Sat, 14 Oct 2017 23:12:17 +0100 djh
Oh and 'thermal mass' is a lot more complicated than ST's disparaging remarks suggest. It's certainly not true that more is always better, but neither is it true that a piece of plasterboard is always enough. It's a subject that bears some research and thought and that depends on the occupants' lifestyle to some extent. I suggest we discuss it in a separate thread if anybody wants to.]]> Has any off grid house got planning permission in England? https://www.greenbuildingforum.co.uk/newforum/comments.php?DiscussionID=15335&Focus=270292#Comment_270292 https://www.greenbuildingforum.co.uk/newforum/comments.php?DiscussionID=15335&Focus=270292#Comment_270292 Wed, 19 Sep 2018 14:11:42 +0100 Mike1 Posted By: caspenToilet - I was hoping to use the Humanure system by Joseph Jenkins. It's working well in our current home.http://humanure.net/manual.html" rel="nofollow" >http://humanure.net/manual.html- neither water nor electricity. But, to convince the local authority, I'll probably have to install a narrowboat-type toilet ie 12v electricity to dry out the solid waste for composting
Not necessarily - here's what the Centre for Alternative Technology has to say: http://info.cat.org.uk/questions/water-and-sewage/how-do-i-go-about-getting-planning-permission-compost-toilet/]]> Has any off grid house got planning permission in England? https://www.greenbuildingforum.co.uk/newforum/comments.php?DiscussionID=15335&Focus=295131#Comment_295131 https://www.greenbuildingforum.co.uk/newforum/comments.php?DiscussionID=15335&Focus=295131#Comment_295131 Mon, 07 Mar 2022 10:20:34 +0000 converse