Part 2: The Planning Permission
Merit House was built in the 1960s as a beer factory. Over time it became a sign-making workshop — Merit Badges — and eventually picked up the name Merit House.
(Yes, I could have renamed it Allcam House or BSS House. No, I didn’t bother.)
From the start, the building carried B2 (General Industrial) use.
After checking planning records and speaking with agents, the position initially seemed simple:
B2 buildings can often be used as B8 (Storage and Distribution) under Permitted Development Rights — provided they are under 500 square metres.
Merit House, unfortunately, is closer to 13,000 square metres.
So I needed certainty.
Applying for full planning permission would mean consultants, surveys, and months — possibly years — of delay. Instead, I applied for a Lawful Development Certificate (LDC), asking the council to confirm what had already been happening.
My company, Allcam, had used the building for storage and distribution since 2009. The council clearly knew — we’d paid business rates and ground rent for 16 years without objection.
That felt like solid ground.
I submitted the application on 3 September 2024.
The guidance said a decision should take 8 weeks.
What followed felt less like a process — and more like a moving target.
The Planning Officer Who Wouldn’t Sit Still
At first, the planning officer seemed aligned with my understanding. Then the goalposts started moving.
She insisted the description be changed to “Use Class B”, rather than B8 — despite the application being about existing B8 use. I agreed, assuming it was just wording.
Weeks later, after silence, she emailed to say she had recommended approval to her manager.
Relief lasted about five minutes.
Another email followed, asking for more evidence — much of it already submitted. Invoices. Haulage records. Supplier lists. Again.
Concerns were then raised that the operation might be a “wholesale retail outlet” — despite operating online and distributing goods nationwide.
Then the legal department became involved.
Then more questions.
Then a request to turn employee statements into sworn statutory declarations — which I did.
Each time I responded promptly.
Each time the position shifted slightly.
Approved… not approved… nearly approved… just one more thing.
After months of back-and-forth, we ended up exactly where we started.
The Final Result (Eventually)
On 22 April 2025, I finally received the decision notice.
B8 (Storage and Distribution) use confirmed.
The process took almost five months — roughly 2.5 times longer than the guideline for a simple application.
I’m fairly sure that if I’d applied for full planning permission instead, I’d still be waiting.
To Wait — or to Risk It
While all this was unfolding, I faced a constant dilemma:
Do I wait — or do I proceed?
Proceeding meant the council could theoretically force me to undo the work ff permission was refused.
Waiting meant money flowing out at roughly £6,000 per month for absolutely no productive purpose.
I decided to take the risk and move forward. Sometimes, in business, standing still is the riskiest option of all.
Next Chapter: How to Convert an Old Building into a Self Storage Warehouse? Part 3. Removing Walls and Rewiring Reality
to follow my BSS journey free — a real, unfiltered account of building an independent self storage business in the UK, one problem, mistake, and hard-won solution at a time.
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