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https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/over-the-garden-hedge/over-the-garden-hedge

In case it matters... A dropped kerb permit is needed to give you a right of way over the verge. It's not just to lower the kerb so might be needed even if the verge is grass with no pavement or kerb stones. Planning permission is required to pave a front garden if the surface isn't permeable. Rainwater run off is meant to be handled on site so PP is required if it causes rainwater to run into the road. https://www.planningportal.co.uk/info/200130/common_projects/45/paving_your_front_garden Google Street View is handy for before and after photos for the planners to compare.

If the oil boiler works I certainly would not install a simple electric boiler. Electricity is about THREE times the cost of oil per unit (kWH). An ASHP with a COP of three just about compensates for the high cost of electricity. However large ASHP are expensive. So you really need to insulate well so a small/normal power unit will work. That way you also save even more. Beware salesmen selling units that are undersized for the needs of the house. This would cause running costs to rise. The only way an electric boiler makes sense is a) in a small well insulated flat where the absolute running cost is low or b) when the only alternative is a very large/expensive ASHP. In that case the capital cost saving might pay for the increased running cost. PS... LPG is about double the cost of oil. Wood Pellets are about same as oil. Source: The table down this page https://nottenergy.com/resources/energy-cost-comparison/ See the column "Pence per kWh (after boiler efficiency)" as that's the one that matters.

You mean on the secondary loop? Don't think we have. Are you thinking the loop pump might have sucked air in via the open tap?

Might be worth asking Building Control what they expect/accept on neighbouring plots? Ask if any houses went to 3m or if they went for piles how deep did they go. Our BCO allowed slightly shallower trenches than the engineer specified. House down the road went for piles and they joke there is an Australian using the other end to hold up his car port.

Hold my beer. Time for some maths... Google found Slate's coefficient of expansion is 10 * 10^-6 meters per meter per degree C https://www.engineeringtoolbox.com/linear-expansion-coefficients-d_95.html Slates vary from 250mm to 300mm wide. Let's suppose you install them when they are 0C and they heat up to say 100C. That's a 100C variation. So a 300mm slate would expand by ... 100 * 10 * 10^-6 * 0.3 = 0.0003m or 0.3mm I think 1 or 2mm gaps should be fine.

American article?.. https://slateassociation.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/Tech-Bull-2-Vertical-Joint-Spacing-D.pdf As you are slating at a cold time of year I wouldn't lay them touching but it says 1/16" is OK.

Local water main burst about an hour ago. Wife ran hot tap for some reason and drained the water so secondary loop pump was practically dry and making a noise. Currently all switched off hoping the pump isn't kna456d. Is it worth installing a pressure sensor to turn off the loop pump if the pressure drops? Anyone done something like this?

Earlier I wrote.. I forgot to mention that enforcement action is suspended when you submit a planning application. So one option is to wait and see what happens. Meanwhile prepare a retrospective Planning Application so its ready to file if they actually initiate Enforcement action. If they haven't issued enforcement action within 4 years from completion you can apply for a Certificate of Lawful development on grounds that enforcement action cannot be initiated as time expired. Keep evidence of completion from Building Control. If they refuse your retrospective Planning Application then Appeal. If that fails the enforcement action will restart but you still have time to comply. By then two years may have passed and tiles might be available again. But I reckon they will grant it at Appeal. I've seen far worse.

That implies you changed the design before you built it in order to meet the Permitted Development rules. In that case a new retrospective planning application would be for the design that meets Permtted Development rules with the possible exception of the cladding.

+1 That's what @ProDave means by... Electrician is right. They are normally mounted near the manifold as they control the loop valves. Typically they have quite a few wires.. One from each room stat One to each valve on the manifold One from the time clock/programmer. One to the two port valve (sometimes this goes direct to the boiler and is called "Boiler Enable" or "call for heat" it's the logical OR of the room stats). One to the loop pump on the manifold (also logical OR of the room stats) Possibly one from an over temperature sensor on the manifold mixer.

There are slightly smaller windows but I've no idea about the quality/features compared to Velux.. This one is nominally 45 x 55.. https://www.roofingsuperstore.co.uk/product/rooflite-fe4555-skylight-roof-window-45-x-55cm.html

Are there other dormers in your area clad in brown? If so I think I would submit a retrospective application together with a set of photos of similar dormers.

I think I would write to your MP with the history in your post above. Point out that PP has been refused twice and the school has used the field for parking for more than the 28 days a year allowed by permitted development. Ask your MP to write to the head of planning and ask how long residents have to live with the noise etc before the planning department will take enforcement action.

I suspect the cavity wall insulation wasn't done very well ...may not go up to the roof ... gaps etc Might be worth trying to borrow an IR camera? Are there big trickle vents in the large window? Too much ventilation or do you get condensation?

How much power does the house need? I think it will be easy if the server can provide it all. Bit harder, but not much, if you need a boiler or similar as well.

I suspect they have only issued another "notice of intention to begin enforcement". You have multiple options... 1) Wait for formal enforcement and appeal on the grounds it's permitted development. 2) Apply for a CLD on the grounds that it's permitted development. If refused Appeal. 3) Make a planning application. If refused Appeal. 4) Ignore them and hope they never actually issue enforcement. If someone complains planners feel obliged to investigate to avoid a more serious complaint. They might approve a retrospective planning application for what you have built because it solves all their issues. Eg it makes it all legal and kills off any complaint from neighbours. Which you choose depends on how compliant with PDR you think your work is.

Consider making a start as that extends the time more or less indefinitely. Sometimes it's enough just to form the entrance, other times they insist on you making a building control application, digging trenches and getting building control to inspect them. For ultimate safety get a certificate of lawfulness on the grounds work has started.

I suspect on most sites it would be easier to get planning for a semi than a hot food takeaway. Have you considered the impact on the value of your house? I wouldn't want to live next door to a restaurant or takeaway but that's just me.

Enforcement action can be appealed so there is no point in starting enforcement if they are likely to appeal the planning refusal. This is because the planning appeal is likely to be heard before the enforcement appeal. They have 6 month to appeal from date of refusal. Keep an eye on that date and complain to the planners when the 6 months are up. If the planners felt it was extremely unlikely that an appeal would succeed then they could issue an injunction. However these are expensive (I heard £10k for a barrister). The planners are unlikely to justify the expenditure except where a breech of planning involves major irreversible changes. For example demolition of a listed building or choping down old forest. What reasons were given for refusal? If it was refused on the grounds of noise you might try complaining to the EHO at the council. How often do they park there? Generally you are allowed to do this sort of thing for 28 days a year without needing planning permission. In my area a motorbike scrambling club were using a field for 28 days a year and there was nothing the planners could do until they exceeded that number of days. Environmental Health were more willing to investigate. It's worth reading a book like "Complete Planning Permission: How to get it, stop it or alter it" by Speer and Dade as only "valid" reasons for rejection can be considered by the planners or at appeal. Things like the impact on your property value are not considered valid reasons.

How much power does the server consume from the mains and what percentage do you think is captured by the cooling system? Where does the server currently send the heat? Air cooled rad? What's the max temperature you can allow the cooling water to get to before the server get too hot? I'm away tomorrow but others may ask same questions.

We have some paths that just drain onto adjacent lawn. They are about 1.3m wide. House wall on one side, lawn on the other. Our soil is farmed clay. Seems ok. Sizing a soakaway properly is tricky as you need a percolation test and some maths. There is a BRE guide on the subject. Main issue for some is that Building Regs require soakaway to be more than 3(?) meters from house and possibly the site boundary as well.

Modern carpets are sometimes made in two versions. Rubber or hassian backed. I guess the latter is better for VOC. I know Hessian has lower TOG which matters for UFH. PS Sometimes the small print on the back of an order form allows them to supply either version so beware to check.

UFH?

Our patio sounds similar. We made it slope away fro the house to a linear drain at the foot of a wall/step up to the lawn. This goes into the same drains as the rainwater that lands on the roof. What do you do with that?