Big Jimbo

I read about a case recently, where a council had told a bloke to take down the fence along his front boundary. 2mt high. He told the enforcement officer to sod off. The guy then got an enforcement notice. Told the council to sod off. The council then told him they would take him to court, and get an order for them to remove the fence, and charge him for the cost, and all the legal fees. He told them to sod off. Ended up in court, and because the hearing was near to the fellas' house, the judge said, "Lets go and take a look" They rocked up at the house, and the judge stood of the edge of the tarmac, which was the boundary, and stuck out his arm. Did'nt say a lot, and returned to court. The judge then said to the councils representatives in court, that if the fence had been either on or very near the boundary, that he would have been able to touch it with his outstretched arm. As he could'nt the fence could not be considered to be on the boundary, or even near it.... The result was he told the council to sod off.

Thanks Joe 90. That's the thing i want to know. can i present my alternative scheme with my appeal, having not offered it to the council first ?

I've gone back to the planner and asked him to clarify why volume is an issue, and indicate a relevant policy. I am waiting for his response...... I have clearly shown on the site study that the volume, although an increase over the extant planning permission, that i have started, is less harmful to the Greenbelt. If i was to get arsey, and tell him that i won't reduce the volume, because i don't need to, i suspect that he would try and find a bunch of reasons to refuse it. He would prob quote para 145 of the NPPF, although i have shown that under para 145 section G, my new proposal is less harmful to the greenbelt than my extant permission, which is my alternative scheme that i have already started. My question is....If i were to go to appeal, would i be able to offer an alternative scheme, ie; reduced volume.... and would the planning inspector consider the alternative scheme together with the original planning application ? I could reduce the volume, however, if i offer this to the council, they will say, "yeah, that's better," and agree it. They will then give no further consideration to the application in front of them. Hope i'm making myself clear. Any ideas ???? Thanks

Yeap, will do. Thanks

Thanks the R -Sole. I will try and get hold of him to get him to define what he means exactly.

The planning officer has come back to me and asked me to reduce the overall volume of my 2 proposed houses.....I understand that if you put something bigger on a site, you would think that would be more obtrusive. However, if the other studies show that you have a reduction in the site width use, a reduction in the footprint, a reduction in the bulk and mass. a reduction in the site coverage, and the sightline study shows that you have better views through the site from the front to back, and rear to front. Why would the volume be an issue ???? Help , please. I'm getting there with my proposal for 2 houses in place of my 1 large house that i have permission for....Thanks

Squirrels. Squirrels. You wait till the Glis Glis reach you........They are on the march, and heading your way.

+1 for ON Off. done that on the plastic headlight before.

Seem to scratch all of mine. However, please to hear that you wear some. One very underestimated bit of safety kit in my opinion.

Moonshine. When are you due an answer on yours ?

I defo feel that so far it has been a game of Poker...... The problem for me is that i can't play Poker?

Defo +1 And either have the ability to challenge how they are doing things, or perhaps pay the local bloke you know a few bob in cash to pop around every few days to check that what has been done is up to standard. Dump the Architect. The local builder would be a lot cheaper and do a better job.

Lets hope so.... Either that or they are offering me enough rope to hang myself with. I do wonder if they were to view my proposal only against what is currently on the site, would they be able to use my permitted devl, or my extant planning permission, or both, as special circumstances, to show that my scheme is better than both of those, and therefore less harmful to the greenbelt ????? The only other thing, and i don't know if it might work in my favour or not, is that the council don't have an up to date local plan, nor can they demonstate that they have a 5 year supply of housing land. All of the land currently under consideration by the council is Virgin Greenbelt. Mine however is a piece of residential land, with a property, that is in the greenbelt. I'd like to think that it can therefore be considered "previously developed land" of even Brownfield at a push. If all else fails, i will be able to build the one big house that i have permission for, sell it and bugger off. My only cost in applying for the 2 has been the £840. I've done all of the drawings, studies, writing, etc myself. So it's not like i have spent out 20 0r 30 grand. Just my time, and it beats watching the telly. Oh, and a lot of lead for my propelling pencil !

Yes they do. i've worked on houses with 4 kitchens, 8 bedrooms, countless reception rooms, snooker rooms, gyms, cinema, indoor poor, changing area etc.......With 2 very rich people living in them. It must take them hours to find each other.

Welcome Clockers.

So that is now 26 + 17 drawings.. 32 pages of D and A information, and a further 3 pages of tables, and info. Would anybody be able to send me a new pencil ?

Just to keep you all posted. Received an email from the planning officer last Thursday, saying that he had consulted with his boss, and that they wanted further info, and a list of very special circumstances. I have gone back with 17 more drawings, (which i spent all weekend doing) and 3 pages of writing, tables etc. I believe that i have shown that my proposal for 2 houses, when considered against my Extant planning permission, or my Permitted Devl rights, is less harmful to the greenbelt, and therefore complies with para 145, section G of the NPPF, and that i don't need Special circumstances. We shall have to wait annd see. (Finger crossed) No request for an extension from them. I'll keep you posted.

Without a brick or block outer skin it is considered an issue. The grren roof was basically because i have a height restriction, so thought i might as well chuck a bit of sedum up there.

You forgot to mention.....and very bloody nice.

I am still reading lots of not nice things on the internet about non standard construction. My house design has a flat roof to house solar panels, and about 3/4 of it will be a green roof. I wanted to build the walls from wood i-beams, and clad the outside with a product that is 97% re-cycled, 60%wood, and 37% plastic. I am also considering an eps passive foundation system...... From what i am reading, i am starting to wonder if i will ever be able to insure it or ever sell it without giving it away. I know a lot of people on here have done some form of non standard construction... How have you got on ? starting to think it might be easier to just go block and block, and clad the outside. What are your thoughts ?

Some drivers are fantastic, and some are not.....You will defo not need the gym tonight.

He said he might get a chance to look at it next week sometime. He could'nt give me any idea on if it might be negative, or positive as he had'nt even looked at it yet. I've paid for a service that i'm not getting...... why is that ok ? 5 previous applications with the same planning officer, and not a single one determined within the timescale... Going back years when i was in banking, i used to start at 7am and finish at 4. At my annual big boss meeting they said that they were concerned about my commitment to the job, as i did'nt work a load of extra hours for free for them. My counterpart on the other hand, worked from 7am untill 9 or 10pm. I made a lot more profit for the bank than he did, and also gave him a lot of my deals so that he could make his targets, and i did'nt go too far passed my targets. I said the reason why he had to work so many hours was because he was crap at his job !!! I left soon after because i had had enough of the banking system, and he had a breakdown ! Sometimes, people are just doing the wrong job, and doing it badly.

So, planning decision due next Tuesday.....Just rang the planning officer dealing with the application, and guess what...... He has not even looked at it yet !!!!!!! Best part of 8 weeks, and he has not yet even looked at it.......... This is'nt some newly qualified kid. This is a guy who has been a planning officer for over 20 years. So exactly what have i just paid £840 quid for. Some people need to find a new job. So do i put it in for appeal next week, due to non determination ? Or do i write to his boss again, as i have had to do with all previous applications ? My councils planning dept are total rubbish. Your thoughts ????

We are all overworked..... First LDC ran over time so i had to extend for him. NCS ran over time.......Bungalow to large house ran over time......The guy was taken off planning by the council due to poor performance, then put onto CIL. Taken off that because the council found he was'nt collecting CIL payments ! Put back on planning because, lets face it, the council never sack anybody. Job for life..... My daughter used to work for a different council, 30 people in her team. She said the department could easily have been run by 10 people, but needed 30 because most of the people were useless, or liked working from home. Strangly, the one's working from home never actually seemed to get any work done.

You are all such nice people. Can i have you all as my new nice neighbours if i build 1 large, or 2 smaller houses ? I promise i am a nice person, just don't have a lot of time for poor quality planning officers who can't work to timescales.