wymberley Posted February 24, 2020 Report Share Posted February 24, 2020 Old folk next door gone and property sold - 2 bedroom bugalow as is mine. Empty over the Chrismas and the buyers moved in a couple of weeks back. Next thing is a letter from the district council notifying me of a planning application. Check it out. Who the blazes buys a 2 bed bungalow when they want a 5 bed house? Apart from those who want to cut and run with a profit after the residential time limit is up, of course. Just two large-ish dormers at the front, but a stonking great two storey wall/roof for an extension running halfway down my garden just 4 feet from my boundary. Shout for help. Chair of town planning committee is one of the councillors for my ward who is on holiday but will look at the plans before contacting me on her return. Fair enough. Second cllr (district now) not much help but I'm trying to educate him. Third one just a little slow in replying but comes immediately after we spoke. Takes one look and is immediately on side. She is district and involved with planning so I've left her beavering away. But there's a problem. You do know, she said that this was discussed at the town planning meeting on Monday and was approved. Nah, says I, I'm waiting for the chair to come back off holiday and we're going to meet. Don't know about that she says as she chaired the meeting. Leave it for now says I, you deal with the planning and I'll sort this. Fourth (district) one pitches up and gives his opinion. Look, he says, I will comment on the applicaton site, but let's leave the planning with the lass as she's very good whereas I'm better at the process aspect and this stinks. He knows this and because he knows I'm deaf and has printed off a transcript of the specific part of the meeting. Because she had very little chance to do anything - pressure of work ex holiday - apart from driving past and noting the dormers but failing completely to inform me so that I could have attended the meeting and said my piece - you can say quite a bit in the allowed 3 minutes, she delegated it to another ward cllr. It's quite usual at a planning meeting for other cllrs to defer to the opinion of the ward councillors for the property in question. Duty idiot who patently had not done any homework or got up off his backside approved the application which was then passed unanimousely as just another loft conversion. I have a loft conversion - installed before I bought and the only external indication is simply two velux windows. This is some loft, some conversion! I started to get the usual something or other rush this morning with a considerable amount of covering up until number four (district) sort of let something slip when his report detailing all of this was handed in and things have taken a turn for the better. All being well, I should now get a fair hearing at district level aided by the fact that my ward councillors have all got involved. I think my clever move was temporarily replacing a photo of my grandaughter on the dining room wall where I took the cllrs to talk with the certificate of appreciation from the council for my time as a councillor a while back. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Walker570 Posted February 24, 2020 Report Share Posted February 24, 2020 What is the saying.....wheels within wheels. Hope you get it sorted. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TIGHTCHOKE Posted February 24, 2020 Report Share Posted February 24, 2020 (edited) It is happening all over the place, they take a gamble that they can get planning permission. Many Councils are meant to say no to keep the existing look of the locality, Bungalos in with other Bungalos. So you will be challenging? Edited February 24, 2020 by TIGHTCHOKE Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wymberley Posted February 24, 2020 Author Report Share Posted February 24, 2020 2 minutes ago, TIGHTCHOKE said: It is happening all over the place, they take a gamble that they can get planning permission. Many Councils are meant to say no to keep the existing look of the locality, Bungalos in with other Bungalos. So you will be challenging? Called streetscene and councils views on this do vary. The approval by the town council is only a recommendation; it's the district council that will finally decide. My only input was to stop the fudging in the coucil office - the district coucillors who visited and who I didn't know were immediately of the opinion that this simply wasn't on. I'll make a decision when the result is known. There are time limits about revisiting council decisions but I'm hoping that because of the circumstances a decision will be made to permit a review of this one. The district agree with 70% of the town's decisions so without a review I am on a bit of a sticky wicket. It can be a tad pricey to challenge a district decision - it depends on who they're most afraid of, but I might let it be known that I could well sue the town. The ladies will be on standby. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TIGHTCHOKE Posted February 24, 2020 Report Share Posted February 24, 2020 Good luck. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wymberley Posted February 25, 2020 Author Report Share Posted February 25, 2020 16 hours ago, TIGHTCHOKE said: Good luck. Thank you. Just heard it's now 2:0 to me and my striker is getting ready to receive a pass from the right wing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lloyd90 Posted February 25, 2020 Report Share Posted February 25, 2020 If it’s turned down they’ll just edit it slightly and put in another application etc etc until it’s passed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wymberley Posted February 25, 2020 Author Report Share Posted February 25, 2020 1 hour ago, Lloyd90 said: If it’s turned down they’ll just edit it slightly and put in another application etc etc until it’s passed. We're quite happy to compromise but as all of the councillors who have visited have agreed, the existing plans are simply beyond the pale. It is now my district councillors who are helping us. The town having made their decision have just told me that they're now out of the loop. I think they think that the mistakes they've made regarding this will go away even though they're well documented. Stupid, silly people. There's some legislation about not being able to review a decision made for a given period of time. I can't quite remember exactly now but believe that that is what they're hiding behind. Things happen. One councillor who is responsible for the fact that I was unable to attend the specific meeting has apologised for the inconvenience which I marginally accepted. I've heard nothing from the guy who thinks changing a 2 bed bungalow into a 5 bed house is a loft conversion and despite being a retired councillor, the town clerk didn't have the courtesy to meet me. Consequently, win or lose, on those two points alone they are going to find that things haven't gone away which for the lack of two further aplogies would have done. It's bad enough but we, then, were of the same political persuasion. Better than banning lead this! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
daveboy Posted February 25, 2020 Report Share Posted February 25, 2020 One of my mates (a builder) buys bungalows, takes the roof off and turns them into massive houses. all he has to do is make sure the foundations are deep enough to take the extra weight and if their are already houses in the street planning permission is more or less guaranteed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wymberley Posted February 25, 2020 Author Report Share Posted February 25, 2020 12 minutes ago, daveboy said: One of my mates (a builder) buys bungalows, takes the roof off and turns them into massive houses. all he has to do is make sure the foundations are deep enough to take the extra weight and if their are already houses in the street planning permission is more or less guaranteed. Yep, it doesn't take too long for the band wagon effect to move around the country. I'd have no complaint about as you describe, but as a road/area of 2 bed bungalows mixed with 2/3 bed chalet type houses, this damned great two storey extension just isn't on. The latest (planning) councillor who has just commented has also flagged up the two dormer at the front affecting the street scene. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
enfieldspares Posted February 25, 2020 Report Share Posted February 25, 2020 Ancient Lights. Google it or Wikipedia. Then if appropriate speak with a solicitor competent in this area. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wymberley Posted February 25, 2020 Author Report Share Posted February 25, 2020 17 minutes ago, enfieldspares said: Ancient Lights. Google it or Wikipedia. Then if appropriate speak with a solicitor competent in this area. Many thanks. As a former councillor involved with planning I do know about the ALs and these houses have an age. Re the solicitor, I hope it doesn't come to that but as said, the ladies are on standby. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
old man Posted February 25, 2020 Report Share Posted February 25, 2020 I wish you well but to trust the planners,? From personal and family dealings beware. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Munzy Posted February 25, 2020 Report Share Posted February 25, 2020 Post a picture of the proposed elevations, I’m intrigued. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wymberley Posted February 26, 2020 Author Report Share Posted February 26, 2020 19 hours ago, wymberley said: Thank you. Just heard it's now 2:0 to me and my striker is getting ready to receive a pass from the right wing. And it's in the net. 3:0 Will try, Munzy, But the drawinga that I have are very, very faint. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rob85 Posted February 26, 2020 Report Share Posted February 26, 2020 When I was doing a building engineering course after I left school part of the course was on town planning and development. As well as going through a lot of the current regs as regards planning etc we were also told a lot of it meant very little as a lot of business developments still got approved via the old brown envelope under the table in a quiet pub. Here's hoping you win over all as I've seen some monstrosities being built in my local area and I've wondered how the hell the planning authorities passed them Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
old'un Posted February 26, 2020 Report Share Posted February 26, 2020 12 hours ago, Munzy said: Post a picture of the proposed elevations, I’m intrigued. The proposed plans should be available to view online if you have the planning application ref. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vince Green Posted February 26, 2020 Report Share Posted February 26, 2020 You are lucky they sought planning permission before the event. People round here increasingly build first and seek permission retrospectively. Councils are only capable of doing so much. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wymberley Posted February 26, 2020 Author Report Share Posted February 26, 2020 2 hours ago, Vince Green said: You are lucky they sought planning permission before the event. People round here increasingly build first and seek permission retrospectively. Councils are only capable of doing so much. Yep, have you seen the cracker down in South Devon - Salcombe - with the ?garage? tennis court and scate bpard ramp? You can see evidence of an old field hedgerow that looks like the farmer sold them a few feet off the bottom of his field. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wymberley Posted March 16, 2020 Author Report Share Posted March 16, 2020 I won't open my nice bottle of Port until I get it in writing, but I've just had the nod from one of my ward councillors Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
old'un Posted March 16, 2020 Report Share Posted March 16, 2020 So they have got the go-ahead to build. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave-G Posted March 16, 2020 Report Share Posted March 16, 2020 (edited) I read something recently about the housing crisis ticking boxes for home owners being allowed to build upwards even without planning permission. EDIT: https://www.thesun.co.uk/news/11164059/homeowners-planning-permission/ Edited March 16, 2020 by Dave-G Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Heron Posted March 18, 2020 Report Share Posted March 18, 2020 A guy near to where I live got planning permission for an extension and then built it fifty percent bigger + swimming pool than what he was allowed to you need publicity newspapers etc what became his down fall was when people went to the planning people and told them that they were setting a president and that they would build what they wanted. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Raja Clavata Posted March 18, 2020 Report Share Posted March 18, 2020 Round here the council lost a couple of expensive court cases and now more or less capitulate as soon as the applicant pulls the legal card. Wish you luck and as you have indicated a compromise could / should work. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vince Green Posted March 18, 2020 Report Share Posted March 18, 2020 In North London people build pretty much what they want and the council doesn't seem to have any REAL power to stop it. Part of the problem is that the registered owner cannot be spoken to, they don't live in the house allegedly. They only ever get to speak to the son/daughter/brother/niece etc and that's not a legal definition of making contact and they can't serve papers on a relative Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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