ToughButterCup

He used complete blocks of our text: word for word the same. What adds insult to injury - we were required to get a licence from Natural England , and to construct a TAF all the way round the property (that low green sheeted fence )and leave the site alone for a year (cost = £6000 ) ..... whereas the mandated decision for him was I'm so annoyed I looked it up again .... A RAMS (Reasonable Attenuation Method Statement) was accepted by the LPA : meaning in practice - that all he had to do was erect a notice pointing out that GCNs are around and if you find one, pop it back in the grass - cost of the notice - £10 max. Cost to us: north of £6000. We are 25 meters away from his property You're right @SteamyTea, I can get cross - but occasionally, its justifiable. Looking on the bright side, we now have a small pond full of GCNs (and some large Smooth Newts) , and grandchildren who will be able to watch their life-cycle in peace and quiet. Waiting for a wet night - U/V torches and excited kids at the ready. Recent showers brought the newts out to bask on the rocks round the pool edge

This is going to sound bitter: because it is. Done carefully, and with a dash of luck, this post could save you over £500. Find another Preliminary Desktop Study online in your LPA Planning Application website The closer to your property the study was done the better Download it Edit it to show your personal details Tweek it a bit here and there. Falsify the Author's signature Submit the 'report' to the LPA as your own. Cost? Zero. I advise you NOT to do what I suggest above. Because it's unethical. It's not unlawful or illegal. It might be fraudulent. Why the somewhat uncharacteristic suggestion? It's what my neighbour did 5 years ago. References provided on request. The bigger picture is somehow fitting. 6 years later, he's still appealing his second Enforcement Order having spent a few thousand pounds on pointless Appeals - and still does not have Planning Permission.

Reading with care and writing well both take time. I am still puzzled by those who - with many thousands of pounds at stake - allow themselves to ; write letters of objection about matters immaterial to the application draft DA statements which are little more than copies of others' applications think that emotion plays a part in writing a Planning Application disrespect the reader by writing illiterate sentences waffle imagine that they also own what they can see from the property they actually own I too read with a delicious shiver the discussions between Central and Local Conservative planning officials. Martin Goodall writes beautifully about it. Shame he retired recently.

The minute you ( @Maria ) start doing the contractor's work, you lose the protection that DOMESTIC CLIENTS are afforded by CDM 2015. My ( I have a feeling -our- ) collective inexpert advice is to get your contractor to make the operational arrangements. Here is our extended discussion on CDM 2015 Please read it.

Because it costs Councillors nothing - personally - to refuse.

Exactly right.

Interesting. If possible, could you link us to a (random) online example please?

Welcome. Well, not just a chippy: you've probably forgotten more about the process of house building than most of us have learned.

I agree wholeheartedly. That statement depends on readers' careful engagement with the words in the document. And almost nobody does . At best, most skim. This thread has taught me that -- if the applicant is keen to engage a wider readership -- it might be useful to provide a one page summary of the key aspects of the application at the front of the document. I have long thought that in order to submit a formal objection, objectors should be required to submit their objections on a standardised form - one which explains clearly the difference between Material and Non-material Objections, and gives examples of each. It strikes me as quite difficult for the 'Average Joe' commenter to do anything other than say what's in his (her) heart about a Planning Application, and that any DA statement (even one as well drafted as the OPs) is too long. A bit of support in terms of drafting a well-founded Material Objection is long overdue. Yes, some LPAs do have such guidance on their website. But thats not enough I think.

Tony, you have saved a lot of our members a lot of money. Thank you very much indeed.

Could I nudge that sentence to say ... there's a fine difference .... between the two "Sweetheart, I'm not having an argument with you, I'm just making one argument, there are many others that could be made ... more tea?

Please could the Mods consider pinning this post / thread Ian I ask because the Design Access Statement is a model of Brevity Focused argument Well-structured content Good use of images Evidence-based discussion Clearly produced maps and an excellent written style

BCOs are one of the last groups of professionals to have evaded state-level inspection. Doctors, lawyers, dentists, NHS, universities, teachers .... why not BCOs?

PM sent @pocster.....

Am I right in thinking that the work-in-progress is relevant here? Would they have prevented access without the work? If they would have prevented access even if the work was not in progress, then you have a case. As it stands, they have a point in terms of safety.

You've got evidence of plans and drawings (above) and made appropriate consultations. Nobody - but nobody is going to say to you - OK thats fine you go ahead - without all sorts of pointless office-based shenanigans, because they'll just require a survey based on - you guessed it - digging out. Check your builder's Insurance . If thats OK, - JustBloodyDoIt . Consider being onsite yourself or (with appropriate permission) videoing it

We have had one wasps nest the size of an egg cup. If they notice it, everyone comments on how nice the shadow gaps are. I forgot to paint the battens that show in the gaps black . @Russell griffiths 's fault that ... he didn't post about the issue in time. The unpainted battens 'disappear ' a few steps away from the house. Buy yourself two Viking Arm clamps. They work perfectly as separators - to within half a mil.

Please ask a properly qualified SE to do the design for you. We used Tanners: very experienced in this sector, and very keenly priced. (£1008.60 )

Fill it full'a sand and use it as a heat store. Employ a Finnish company to do so.

I'm too polite to consider your withers ..... Naaaah, thats the Delivery Man. Poor lad.

Made any jam recently? ChristOnAbike, heated sugar holds onto heat longer than @pocster to walk-on-glass.

Was the little boy right, but correct about the wrong thing? Those Finns, frightfully clever lot eh? https://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-61996520 Got any spare builders sand lads? (OK - and lasses - @canalsiderenovation )

Welcome to our 'normal ' Use the stress of every delay to improve your planning.

Welcome. It simple: just do it.