Four Year Planning Rule - Farm Diversification

[jENNY]

Situation: Grade 2 farmhouse in three acres, the rest of the farmland sold off pre 1990. Son has lived elsewhere for at least 8 years but uses the back yard of this farmhouse (belonging to his mother) to run a huge groundwork business for almost ten years. Council say no planning is required after four years (farm diversification) and therefore no planning documents or regulation (traffic, noise, hours, HGV etc) except health and safety. I am looking to purchase the next-door house and need some advice: what is the four-year rule? does it really apply in this instance? can it be objected too? PLEASE HELP thanks Jenny:confused:

[jeffrey]

I'm no planning expert, but the four-year rule is a statutory limit on enforcement by a Local Planning Authority in case of certain breaches of planning legislation.