rpt said:
You'll need planning permission for change of use if you are running a business at home. You'll also need to ensure that your household insurance covers you - and so will your landlord. As you will be receiving deliveries and despatching finished products I would have thought you would struggle to get planning permission in a normal residential area. I know people have set up breweries in their garages but were they isolated and not in a regular street?
The other thing that people don't realise is if you register your home as a brewery with HMRC you will have to pay duty on all your home brew too (although you might be able to get an exemption for experimental brews).
Hi,
I investigated this with my local planning people about a year ago, and posted my experience on the other site. This is what they said:-
"Thank you for your enquiry concerning the above premises and the use of your garage as a microbrewery.
In relation to your enquiry in the first instance I would need to assess whether planning permission would be needed at all.
Some activities can be undertaken in planning terms as being incidental to the enjoyment of the main dwelling on the site, as any hobby would be. When this hobby becomes more of a commercial operation planning permission may be needed, but this is dependent on the scale and nature of the use. (My italics)
To help me respond to whether planning permission is needed would you be able to answer the following questions for me?
- what would be the likely number of collections and deliveries per week from the site in relation to goods to be sold, deliveries of supplies and collection of trade waste?
- would there be any access for the public to this site for sales on site?
- would there be any advertising on the garage indicating there is a business on the site?
- would all brewing materials and equipment be within the garage or would the land around the garage and in the garden be used on a permanent basis?
- how many people would be working on the site at any one time?
These questions will help me to assess the scale of the proposed use. The lower the scale and intensity of the use the less likely permission would be needed.
Once I have received a response from you on this matter I can go on to provide further advice on the likelihood of permission being granted, the relevant planning policies and how to apply.
As the area is mainly residential I would have some concerns at an intensive commercial use on the site, but perhaps if you can provide answers to the above first this will help to see what needs to be done next.
I hope you find this advice of assistance. However, please remember that the advice given in this letter is based on the information submitted, a full planning history has not been researched and is the opinion of the case officer and cannot in any way prejudice the decision made on a formal planning application(s)"
MY REPLY
I wrote back saying I wanted to make 100gallons a week:
" - Thank you very much for getting back to me. Your reply is very helpful.
I would estimate, given the small scale of production I am thinking of ( about 100 gallons a week), that I would need 75 - 100Kg of malt a week, which is 3 to 4 sacks, which is one small vehicle per week for deliveries. This would consume about 1 Kg of hops, which would come in 5kg bags, via parcel post to the main house. Other sundries would be needed.
100 gallons would be enough to fill 11 firkins, ( which is the size of barrel you see outside most pubs ) or the equivalent in bottles. These would need to be delivered, and I would guess that would take a few journies in a small vehicle.
I'm not sure about trade waste. The spent malt would be the most significant.
I have no plans for public access
I have no plans for advertising on or around the building
All brewing materials would be kept in the garage, although I could keep the malt in an adjacent shed, which would mean I could store sufficient for a few weeks there, and cut down on deliveries. The hard standing in front of the garage - which is shielded from the road by a pair of 6 foot high solid gates, and on either side bu a high hedge/fence would be used at times for general washing of equipment, etc.
There would generally only be me working on the site, although I am sure that from time to time, friends and relatives would come along to lend a hand. I don't imagine I'll be doing this full time.
I hope this is helpful. I look forward to your reply."
PLANNERS RESPONSE
"Thank you for this additional information. Based on the information you have given below you would not in my opinion need planning permission as
the use would not be to a level that was intensive enough to lead to a change of use. The scale of what you are proposing to do would not be that significantly different from a hobby. If the way you want to operate this ever changes you may need planning permission, at which time I would encourage you to contact the Planning department and we can provide further advice.
At present though, based on this information there would not be a material change of use in my opinion, and so planning permission would not be required."
MY THOUGHTS
So, that is a "back of the envelope" scheme, which indicates that the planning hurdle can be jumped (or avoided)if things are on a small scale- although things may vary from planning area to planning area.
Hope this is helpful,
Simon.
