Your first tasks before even foundation is laid
Your first tasks before even foundation is laid
Whatever type of new farm
building you are considering,
a lot of pre-planning is
required even before the first
stone is laid. Graeme
Lochhead, senior buildings
lecturer at the Royal
Agricultural College and
chairman of the RDBA
outlines the initial steps
IN January we discussed the options available to organising a farm building development, from design and build to DIY with everything in between.
With the Building event at Tiverton on August 20, it is time to concentrate on the pre-planning that goes on before the first foundation is laid.
Along with the increase in pressure to comply with the various quality assurance schemes nationally, or from the retailer in the form of contracts, tighter controls on development have been in place since the early 90s.
These tighter controls are the requirements for local authority planning approval, Environment Agency approval, compliance with COSH* Regulations, Milk and Dairy regulations, Food Safety Act and associated codes of practice to name but a few since 1990. This will not change.
Design time
The fact that we have to comply with the legislation should not detract from the importance of the time spent considering the project and having it suitably designed. This may be full working drawings produced by a design consultant or start with your own simple sketches so that the project can progress and be priced and built.
Often more time will be spent in finding a solution to refurbishment as opposed to the design of a new facility and this should be recognised to ensure that the system works.
It is essential that a team approach is developed between all those individuals concerned, with all parties having a contribution to the process. The final solution will be a compromise between the team and that of the needs of the use of the building. A balance should be struck between the needs of the workforce, livestock/crop, vehicles and cost. Rarely is the completed facility the inspiration of one person.
Before drawing out the first sketch plan concentrate the mind and carry out some background to the project. The management criteria will have been considered determining the capacity, building type (cubicles or straw yards) special needs etc.
The building requirements should now be examined starting with site selection considering: access, aspect, services, slope falls and levels, soil type, relationship to whole farm and farmstead to name but a few. Knowing the basic requirements of the proposed facility be it new build, extension, reuse or refurbishment – the same principles can be applied when identifying which building to refurbish.
Having chosen the site a thorough site investigation should take place and a process of pre-planning entered into. This process is often carried out sub-consciously but benefits from being written down and recorded so that the full appraisal of all factors can be considered as a whole.
The process starts with the first visit to the anticipated site and concludes with several sketch proposals of the building solution on that site. Factors such as soil type, legislative controls specific to the site, existing and new services should allow the compromise to develop. A list of events is shown which may help to clarify the process.
We are well into the process and yet we have barely put pencil to paper. Once the sketch is prepared we can then move to enter the consultation process for approvals. It is important to keep the approval bodies well informed from an early stage since getting these on board, consulting and negotiating with them should help the process to move more smoothly. Failure to do so often results in delays.
Legislation and approvals
Keep an open mind when entering the consultation process but based upon the firm ideas and sketch plans produced by the disciplined method discussed. Use this to educate and inform the approval body and to demonstrate the professionalism involved in arriving at the solution.
The main approvals are likely to be; Planning Permission and Environmental Agency approval for waste and silage. The local authority planning department is the body at district level ensuring that government policies handed down via the regional authority are implemented, taking into account regional and district variations and needs.
During the process of a planning application a number of bodies are consulted as part of the process; the parish council, Environmental Health, Building Control, Environment Agency, landscape management department in the first instance and perhaps English Nature and English Heritage (or national variations) depending on the impact on the surrounding land and buildings.
The process can be a long one which is all the more reason to consult prior to the application being made. A rule of thumb can be applied to those buildings requiring planning approval; developments less than 465sq m require an application for prior determination (an application to see if full planning permission is required) and developments over 465sq m need full planning permission. The minimum time for full planning permission to be achieved is two months but this can be longer – full details at end of article.
The Environment Agency should be consulted when the development involves a waste storage facility, silage or fuel oil storage. Although legally only 14 days notification is required prior to the use of a new facility, avoiding prior consultation may be foolhardy, and the agency should be informed at the concept stage.
The facility should be fully designed out and reference to specific British Standards made to ensure that the final solution complies (BS5502, 8110, 8007). Significant extension and repair also comes under the attention of the agency and they should be consulted early.
The local authority building control department, one of the consultees, ensures that developments meet the minimum standards set down in the Building Regulations and other documents. There is no need for building control approval unless the development is within 15m of a dwelling or for retail or food processing. (In Scotland buildings require approval).
Other considerations should be noted. Since 1995 the Health and Safety Executive requires that the client/owner ensures that only competent people are employed to carry out the development and that the risk of injury during construction is designed out. So take care in appointing consultants and contractors. You will have other important obligations under the Construction, Design Management regulations 1994 which you should discuss with your consultant. Secondly Listed Building consent may be required (through LA planning department) where development affects or is within the curtilage of a listed building; and thirdly the need for an environmental assessment may be imposed by the LA planning department where they think there is a necessity for one (eg intensive livestock units).
There are increasing pressures to ensure that buildings are well planned and integrate into the landscape and with consideration and thought this can be achieved. An increase in legislative and statutory controls continues at a time when there has been a fall in direct support for farm buildings, both in on farm subsidy and financial support for information services such as the Farm Buildings Information Centre which has been closed for some time.
Information continues to flow despite this and lessons learned from continued investment in farm buildings. One organisation remains with the aim to promote best practice and high standards of farm building construction; the Rural Design and Building Association is now the collective voice of the farm building industry with a diversity of members all interested in the rural built landscape. An Agricultural Legislation Guide produced by RMC Readymix can be obtained from the RDBA on 01952-814555. *
Site selection considerations
Access
To roads and other farm facilities. Need for large vehicles. Size of modern equipment such as feed wagons.
Aspect
Normally the orientation of the building will have the gable end facing the prevailing wind. Consideration should be taken of ventilation requirements.
Services
Avoid great distances for new services. Charges for these can mount up.
Slope, falls and levels
Identify where possible slopes would be to the benefit of the facility and where the development may need levelling. Attempt to take levels as these can often be deceptive.
Soil type
The ability of a building to stand or sink is dependent on the soil being capable of carrying the load. Particular attention should be paid to made-up ground and sulphate soils. Rock, sand/gravel and clayey sand are said to be normally compact to firm soils capable of carrying the average farm building. Clayey sand, silt, silty clay and peats soils should be avoided or suitable design solutions found.
Relationships
Both the relationship to the surrounding landscape and the farmstead should be considered. Concentrate on the farmstead field locations and building function and the landscape will follow with some clever use of details and modern materials. The landscape is a function of a living countryside and reflects the scale and operation of agriculture of that time.