Simon Posted October 11, 2019 Share Posted October 11, 2019 Hi Guys, I hope you are all well! Just wanted a tad of advice.... After the two years it took to get PP for our Garage/Outbuilding, work has finally started :-) To cut a long story short, we originally intended to have a 1m brick wall to the rear of the new building, as it is dug into a bank, which is what we submitted to MS planning (Main house is listed by the way). When it came to start, the SE who designed the raft instructed this retaining wall be concrete block for extra strength. We decided to have this built, and render over the section of this, visible to the 4 people who live behind us, until the hedge grows back. One of them has grassed us up to the council already, with barely anything else built, and we have had an unannounced visit by the Heritage Officer, who is demanding we cover the blocks with bricks, for the hedgerow in front of it to enjoy.... With all the other stuff we had to do in order to get PP for the build, which we went along with, due to the visible aspects of it, but we just don't have the money for this, given it's lack of material difference... How would you proceed? Thanks ever so much Simon Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stephen margerison Posted October 11, 2019 Share Posted October 11, 2019 look for some brick "slips" or ask if you can paint the wall, Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr Punter Posted October 11, 2019 Share Posted October 11, 2019 Did you apply to the council to get the brick type approved? They can be quite particular regarding what is acceptable within the curtilage of a listed building. Is the remaining footing wide enough to take the brick facing? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Simon Posted October 11, 2019 Author Share Posted October 11, 2019 Thanks for your replies Guys. Particular thanks to Sensus... I think this whole thing serves as a reminder of how Councils have b****ardised well meaning legislation, designed to protect aspects of our culture, turning it a club with which to beat their residents. I see what you're saying, but given the absolute hell they've put us through, this is just a step too far....they could choose to ignore it, given it makes ABSOLUTELY NO DIFFERENCE TO ANYTHING, but that would just make too much sense. Thanks to their demands doubling the cost of this build, it is money we just don't have, and they know I can't just earn money, due to my MS....I'll go to prison before I bow to anymore of their sh*t.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Simon Posted October 11, 2019 Author Share Posted October 11, 2019 Additionally...if they chose to send a disabled person to court/prison over this, they will demonstrate all too sadly what has become of Council Officials... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moonshine Posted October 11, 2019 Share Posted October 11, 2019 6 minutes ago, Simon said: I think this whole thing serves as a reminder of how Councils have b****ardised well meaning legislation, designed to protect aspects of our culture, turning it a club with which to beat their residents. umm, where do you think that the line should be drawn for non-conformance with planning permission? ridge heights, 1, 2, 5m over what is permitted, house sizes allowed 10%, 20%, 50% over what is permitted. If its permitted in the permission that is what is to be built, anything different isn't allowed. Why did you not go back to the council with an amended scheme, if your permission is under a year old, you can have 'a free' go, and incorporate that change into that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
willbish Posted October 11, 2019 Share Posted October 11, 2019 Agree with @Sensus on your options but I wouldn't consider you a fool if you proceeded to ignore the Heritage Officer without a planning consultant onboard. If you are required to take further action by the LPA, that would be the sensible time to engage a consultant and not before in my opinion. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Simon Posted October 11, 2019 Author Share Posted October 11, 2019 1 minute ago, Moonshine said: umm, where do you think that the line should be drawn for non-conformance with planning permission? ridge heights, 1, 2, 5m over what is permitted, house sizes allowed 10%, 20%, 50% over what is permitted. If its permitted in the permission that is what is to be built, anything different isn't allowed. Why did you not go back to the council with an amended scheme, if your permission is under a year old, you can have 'a free' go, and incorporate that change into that. We are talking about a 3x0.9m section of wall behind a building, hidden by bushes, that we want to render over rather than have as red brick? People do this to their houses all the time (A neighbour has just had done to a large garden wall), and don't need PP. Just because we live in a not particularly interesting cottage that has been given a minor listing, we are at the mercy of opinion based Heritage planning. Everything they have made us do is the most expensive option, not withstanding that said outbuilding is closer to an 80's built chalet property next door, which has far more of an impact.. This whole thing has been such a MASSIVE nightmare, they left me with absolutely no will to go back to them, for more bureaucracy, and delays..it's made me ill, and I need this building finished on health grounds....I SO wish we had never got involved with a Listed Building, if you can't see the sense in what I'm saying, never mind Brexit, this nation is finished! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Simon Posted October 11, 2019 Author Share Posted October 11, 2019 I think I will just have to go back to the Heritage Officer, who will be the third one we've dealt with, and see if I can make him see sense.... No wonder Listed properties are falling into disrepair, or people buy them out in the sticks and never ask permission.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr Punter Posted October 11, 2019 Share Posted October 11, 2019 If it is only 3m2 of single skin brickwork it will be very cheap. You could just get someone to start a couple of courses to keep them quiet. I don't think they can easily compel you to complete it quickly. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Temp Posted October 11, 2019 Share Posted October 11, 2019 Does the retaining wall lean a bit? Perhaps you could just stack bricks up against it and sell them on eBay later :-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Temp Posted October 11, 2019 Share Posted October 11, 2019 (edited) Brick slips from £15 to £28 per sqm... https://brickslips.co.uk/3-brick-slips Check they are frost safe? Edited October 11, 2019 by Temp Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Temp Posted October 11, 2019 Share Posted October 11, 2019 Does your PP require you to get the bricks approved or use a particular brick? I wonder if you could argue a block actually meets the legal definition of a brick? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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