dnoble

That all seems senisible, Peter. The question is really what the LPO will accept or require. I used heras fencing whch was OK'd (though I have to move it a couple of times as it didn't exactly fit the plan. There was supposed to be an edging of timber. Its along a 30m driveway and the trees are about 1m away from its edge

I ommitted some tanalised edging so the stone has strayed towards the trees. The concrete does encroach on the edge of the RPA, and you're right, it could be removed. The photo I submitted shows the membrane and cellular confinement stuff in situ, but I didn't get a pic of the clean stone in it as this happened and was covered by temporary crushed stone for the access path whilst I was at work. I didn't think I'd need evidence of every stage. The original arboricultural officer who specified the plan emailed to confirm it was done to standard, (he's now retired) but the councils tree officer/LPO appears to have disregarded this. I think technically it probably doesn't conform strictly and I'm already on the back foot a bit having proceeded without getting it signed off initially. Its frustratingly pointless exercise as the tress are old an at end of their natural life. I have planted 40 odd other trees elsewhere around the plot

I'm assuming so. The point of the pre-commencement condition was to prevent tree damage, so I wondered whether there'll be an implication that damage has occurred...

They responded about day 10 after the deemed notice + sent round tree officer next day. I suppose my question is about how these problems are usually resolved?

Looking for advice/reassurance I had a pre-commencement condition about tree protection of some elderly apple trees along the access to my new build. I had to erect a fence, install a root protection area before starting any development. I did this and sent photos etc to LPO but in my ignorance cracked on with the build before getting them formally signed off. (I just thought I had to DO it, assumed the siignb off was a formality and probably got it mixed up with the pre-occupation conditions) I then applied to have this, with some other conditions signed off in September. There was no response after 8 weeks so I did a deemed discharge notice. This led to an urgent (next day council tree officer visit) He said the RPA and edging were inadequate. Also there has been some concrete left by the foundation team which may cause leaching. The condition is "not discharged" I get the impression the deemed discharge notice has upset the LPO The outcome it this it that presumably I've breached planning permission. What is the likely outcome of this. Can they fine/prosecute? Where do I stand? I've tried phoning + emailing the LPO but not reply so far. Very stressed about this!

Thanks for that perspective Jeremy I suppose it might be worth levering out the cable clips and putting a blob of sealant in the hole and nailing them back in to try and re-establish airtightness/vapour-tightness? The nails aren't actually long enough to penetrate the full thickness of the board (though I understand it is the green inner skin that provides the barrier) Having said this where the green OSB has been nailgunned to the underlying frame by MBC there are numerous breaches and cracks in the green skin. None of the nailheads appear to have an airtight join with the green surface, often where the nail has gone deeper than the surface.

Thanks for these replies I see HerbJ you've attached the electrical boxes to horizontal noggins between the battens Does this not cause them to stick out too much from the plasterboard, or did you need especially shallow ones? The battening is nailed to the OSB so doesn't this compromise the inner skin in exactly the same way as nails in the cable clips?

I've encountered a bit of confusion around this. MBC smartply lined house, intended passive house standard (not certified) The airtightness team are coming next month to airtight-it and blow in insulation I've had an electrician doing first fix mains + lighting circuits including some wires which are fixed to inside of external walls in a ring main. Tacked on with normal cable clips. Apparently this is not supposed to happen until after the airtightness (as it may compromise the test) It's not clear if it's OK to attach the wires in this way afterwards, or if not how they would be attached. They go in a void created by 25mm battens (which are also nailed on) and then plasterboard on top. I wouldn't have thought a small hole with a nail tight in it, which may not even penetrate the board would make a major air leak would it? Especially if there will be blown cellulose packing the inside void plus plasterboard and plaster over the top. The person I spoke to at MBC was sure I shouldn't have had them attached thus but didn't have an obvious alternative strategy. Did suggest attaching them to the battens, though they aren't all orientated in the right way and wiring afterward mean drilling loads of holes through the width of the battens. Any ideas anyone?

Ive emailed Sunamp about this but they haven't got back to me. I'm planning to install a 5-10Kw Sunamp (haven't decided yet) for Hot water heating, Currently doing first fix electrics and plumbing. Electrician and plumber haven't encountered this product and want to know what needs to be in place. What supply does the Sunamp need electrically. Does it have a coil like an induction heater? Does it plug in, does it need a fuse? Re water dos it just need a mains pressure cold in and hot out? I'm sure Sunamp will let ne know all this but electrician's here today so would be useful to know now!

Thanks Ferdinand. I'm also fond of Birch particulary. There may be a issue with lack of leaves s enabling glare in the winter. . I do have a directive to plant several replacement trees anyway to replace a couple of elderly apples I had to remove. What's the appropriate website you mention where I could further investigate the heights, angles etc? It may be the winter sun then is low enough not to peep over onto the offending roof side.

Hello Jeremy. That's interesting as one option I was considering was to cover this roof in solar panels(though it's NW facing) on the assumption they absorb most of the light rather than refect it! What trees did you plant out of interest? In terms of applying for retrospective change aren't I on a bit of a sticky wicket if there's already a complaint in and I didn't follow procedure correctly?

Thanks Recoveringacademic. That's slightly reassuring. I suppose I'd like to know sooner rather than later if I'm going to have to remove it. I have scaffolding up costing 500 a month as it's overdue and if that's the likely outcome it'd be cheaper to crack on and change it now.

I am building a timber framed passive house. I initially planned to put black fibre cement roofing on it (architect's suggestion as a low cost material) I couldn't find a contractor to do this within the time-frame so I decided to use matt black plastisol coated box profile steel which looks very similar and is widely used in other counties (Shetland, Iceland Australia etc)and I could install it myself. I did contact to planning officer who said as long the energy efficiency wasn't impaired this should be fine. I due to inexperience really, I assumed this meant I could retrospectively apply for a change, whereas I was supposed to re-apply with the new material and get it discharged. What's happened since installing them is that a neighbour (who objected to the house-build initially and is vehemently opposed to it) is complaining that there is glare from the sheets in bright sun into his garden. To be fair there is some glare at certain times of the day. He knows this is not the material I got permission for. I'm really worried the PO is going to make me tear it all off and install the original sheets which will be very expensive in terms of labour, materials, scaffolding, removing + reinstalling solar panels etc. I am in negotiations with the PO now about this. Can anyone advise on 1) Data about weathering and reduced shininess of black plastisol (can't find much online and manufacturing company couldn't help) 2) A coating that might reduce glare (am looking into bitumen roof paint, hammerite etc) 2) Planning law around neighbour's right not to have glare I am going to plant screening trees but these will take a few years to block the view. Many thanks in advance for any suggestions. I'm feeling pretty stressed about this after a run in with angry neighbour this morning!

There's also something about negative pressure from flushing etc potentially disrupting the water in the U bends that prevents gas/smell entering the house from the drainage system

Thanks for all this useful information. That's a good solution, Peter, so there's no particular reason the AAV needs to be up in the loft space, it just be hidden behind a false wall (but obviously above soil pipe level), then?

That's brilliant, Jeremy I was hoping to do something similar. Hadn't realised it also needed external ventilation too so thanks for that additional

I realise I should of though about this earlier but are there any passive house implications around soil stacks? Aesthetically an internally vented one in the loft with an AAV would be preferable. Is this allowable/advisable in a passive house. Intuitively it would seem to be less likely to cause heat loss.

Thanks for this Jeremy. That sounds ingenious, though I wouldn't describe making a special drill as simple compared to pre-installing them! Good to know it's do-able though. The positioning of the pipes is an important point, though. Presumably using some flexible pipe between the unit and the duct-through-the-wall would provide some flexibility around this? I like the wet bag in the pipe idea too..

Can I bump this topic please? I have an MBC timberframe up and am frantically arranging first fix and window installation before insulation is blown in. I'm planning to use a sunamp product for hot water. I may or may not charge this with an ASHP, and may or may not connect an output from it to UFH (pipes installed) Want to see how house performs first. Have 6kw Solar PV to install (though obv these won't provide much energy in winter) I may not end up buying an ASHP but it's make sense to install a duct before the insulation goes in, cladding goes on etc just in case. As I haven't bought one, I dont know what size hole to make. Are they fairly standard? Is there just one duct or an inlet and outlet. Would Jack's suggestion above of 50mm pipe suit most models? (could presumably temporarily fill it with some insulation if I don't use it) Many thanks in advance Dan

That's a thought. there would still need to be some kind of barrier to stop the coarse stone falling off into the gutter or to support the fabric though wouldn't there? Unless I'm misunderstanding, pic might make it clearer.

I'm doing a DIY one on a 15% pitched 50m2 roof. I've built an OSB floating roof on battens over the original one (which apparently needed ventilation above its roof membrane) and covered this with a massive EPDM membrane. Planning to use Cellweb type stuff to retain the growing medium, which will will be pearlite or similar and compost. I've no intention of doing lots of maintainance so to going to seed it with sedums etc and let natural selection take over. Something will grow there and it'll probably be green some of the time! Some of the matt forming sea cliff campion type plants might be worth a try too. And whatever blows in on the wind and likes it there. The SE has okayed it in weight terms. Main issue to overcome is designing a border at the lower end which retains the green stuff whilst allowing drainage through into the gutter below. And doesn't rot/rust. Some kind of ACO drain cover might work. Any other ideas on what to use for this welcome?

OK. well that's useful to know. Now I think about it I do recall reading somewhere they needed to be >10m above roof level to work which wouldn't be feasible

Is it worth (whilst I have the scaffolding up) installing a small eg wind turbine. I have a fairly exposed windy gable with a massive glulam beam end I could attach it to. I wondered if, in the midst of winter when the PV panels aren't doing much and it is pretty windy this would provide a useful additional extra power source. Am building an MBC passive house and so energy requirements will hopefully be low. Is this worthwhile and what are the logistics of incorporating it with the solar PV and the mains power supply?

Many thanks for this Jeremy and Dave. I had an idea there was a risk but useful to have practical advice. The roof gets a bit of dappled shade in a portion from a nearby Ash tree, especially away from midsummer when the sun's lower. I see people have pre-empted my next question which was; What are peoples thoughts on micro inverter fitted panels. Is it worth the extra cost (or should I just coppice the tree!) Points about having to replace micro-inverters are worth thinking about (how would you know one had stopped working anyway; is there a way of monitoring the output of individual panels?)

Hello all. Planning to have 4-6KW solar PV on my new build. Not going to go for the FIT since it's now so paltry. Thinking about DIY fitting the solar panels to the roof of my new build while the scaffolding's up, Can get 4kw worth for <2K it seems. The house has not yet had first fix, and in early stages so I was thinking about getting inverter and sorting connection later (probably next year) I'm not an electrician and would like to know if it's feasible/safe to do this and leave them on the roof, presumably connected together in series with a cable into the house to connect at a later date?