Alan Ambrose

A surface mounted CU doesn't look bad IMHO, here's ours in the hallway (and a lot less faff):

>>> I believe the process will allow me to offer supplementary information Yeah, typically a 'statement of case' from each side followed by a 'final comments' doc from each side a few weeks later. Or more accurately, a statement of case from you, then wait 6 months where nothing much happens, then a statement of case from the LPA, then final comments two weeks later, then wait a couple more months for the inspector to make up their mind.

Anyone else think that this 'using your battery as UPS' subject needs properly designing and sorting out so it becomes the standard UK set-up? Something like a separate CU or 'high integrity CU' with a separate section for freezers, lighting, fire alarms, IT equipment etc that will be powered additionally by the battery and inverter when the main supply goes out. Also, the standard 'islanding' thing with its 'NE bonding relay' is a kludge. If we can't depend on the imported main earth, then let's just always use a local one just like a lot of countries do - we often need one for car chargers anyway. And it would also get rid of all the 'PEN fault detection' nonsense. When PME was designed to save the costs of a conductor, probably nobody guessed what the modern day PV, battery and car charger situation would look like. Yes, I appreciate that this needs a proper local low impedance local earth connection, not any old earth rod banged into the ground.

>>> But where will rainwater in modern vast volumes, go? There's a culvert / ditch at each end of the plot which we can use for drainage - so it's just a matter of convincing a BCO that we've tried hard to do SUDS I think. The clay does this in the summer, so I'm expecting that it'll be OK to dig, but quite hard.

Check with other suppliers who might provide more than 1/3rd factory constructed? They should be able to tell you just on sight of the design. A 3-way call between you, the SE and Pasquill to see if the SE can explain their concerns, allow Pasquill to respond and see if a compromise can be worked out or a more optimum / less risky solution that suits everyone? Seems to me the SE is saying Pasquill's designs don't work in practice and need extra support / therefore Pasquill to defend / explain. See if they can convince the SE? In the end which expert do you trust most, whose PI would you claim off if it all ended in tears?

Well I hope it's from the surface or 'perched' rather than GW, but 67cm of the 1m cube depth in 6 days

Just to report back: the ground turned out to be quite hard boulder clay and the window sampling rig, which turned up first, only got down to 2.5m. So, the cable percussion rig was a good call and we moved 2x GW monitoring to those holes instead. We also dug a percolation test pit by hand and the 300x300 hole in the bottom started slowing filling with water - and then kept on going. So, a sort of reverse perc test. A week later it was at 67cm in the main 1m deep hole! (It is protected from direct rainwater entry.) Our theory is it's using the slight sandy deposit to convey surface water. So, we'll need v good surface drainage for the winter and we're fairly close to proving that soakaways are out of the question.

>>> There is a wayleave which is due to be completed/signed in the near future but this states that it could take up to 18 months to move the high voltage lines (11kv) to a new location. Well you don't have to sign the wayleave unless you're very happy with it. I'm curious how UKPN 'stepped in' - did you not initiate the contact? The DNOs often play the 'will take a lot of time unless you want to pay for it' game. I suggest a call or two to their wayleaves department and you should be able to (a) initiate the removal (that might take forever, but it puts them on notice, and fires the starting gun) and (b) see if you can negotiate something that suits you better. They are experienced at this game though, so you might want to 'prepare the ground' carefully and maybe consult a lawyer experienced in wayleaves and figure out how much it's worth to you. Have you completed the sale already, as this should have been flagged by your lawyer a clear risk going in?

I think your new roof design looks great . Will you not just get Pasquill to deliver that as designed?

@phykell - I think too: planning consultant to demonstrate that you won't be bullied and try to reach some compromise ... if your LPA does compromises.

Just to say, that's strategy is smart, but it doesn't work if your LPA charges sizeable CIL as your later application then breaks the self-build exemption - v. handy for the LPA.

Is your LDC not a 'householder appeal'? A bit more info here by inspector: https://appealfinder.co.uk/Planning_Inspectors_Performance.p15.html and here by type of appeal:

More stats here: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/planning-inspectorate-statistical-release-22-february-2024/planning-inspectorate-statistical-release-22-february-2024 See Annex B further down that page for householder appeals like the OP might have - in that case median is 18.1 weeks and validation on those is running at ~4 weeks for a total of 22 weeks.

>>> Just bear in mind that the median time for determination of an appeal (written) at the moment is something like 37 weeks (may be different for different appeal types), and that's from the date they determine it is valid. My appeal took 12 weeks to get to that point, so it could be almost a year before I know the outcome. I also saw 12 weeks to 'validation' - which is how they fudge the stats I suppose. This site is suggesting 30 weeks on average from then, for a total of 42 weeks: https://appealfinder.co.uk/Planning-appeal-success-rates-and-timescales.n48.html

>>> Planning is objective My lot can use 20 different synonyms for 'too big' in the same paragraph without ever defining what 'too big' or 'acceptable size' is. And they will claim the sky is lime green at breakfast time, navy blue at lunchtime and barbie pink at dinner time without even acknowledging that they changed their mind, let alone explain how or why they changed their mind .

Am I right in understanding from your explanation that it would be PD anyway and you're just making doubly sure with the LDC?

Careful use of plastic spacers which come in 1mm increments? Take up majority of fall with thin-ish ply and then spacers. Do remainder of <1mm levelling with tile fix and/or 'self-level' screed?

Yeah, lots of options instead of tiles - glass, stainless, thin-ish granite / quartz etc - all not too expensive. A popular thing when we did our kitchen was glass with brightly coloured paint on the back.

Does the Greenwood CV2GIP unit close off the airflow somehow when it's not running, or is that not important?

Nice, congrats

Ah shucks, they didn't think you would notice until they were (a) paid and (b) far away.

Oooo many thanks for that info - I’m in a ukpn area.

I think that LPAs consciously use delays to achieve what they want using their leverage and regardless of the financial impact on the developer - or perhaps deliberately using that potential financial impact to get what they want.

There's probably endless choosing of materials and parts and shopping for price & delivery you can do now. Also, location of reliable trades. Utilities all sorted already?

Nice... https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-cornwall-68546662