Planning makes right decision?

[AliG]

I read this story in the Daily Mail today-

 

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-8505105/Couple-spent-22-000-garden-forced-return-WASTELAND.html

 

On the face of it, it sounds a very harsh decision.

 

But there was enough info in the planning application to take a look. I think this is fair since it seems a matter of public record.

 

https://planning.westlothian.gov.uk/publicaccess/applicationDetails.do?activeTab=documents&keyVal=PS02LNRJIUH00

 

I reckon the council were right in their decision as they fenced off a strip that separates two housing developments apparently breaking up a piece of what was intended to be open space.

 

The story is odd though as it says they didn't know they needed permission. Reading the report on the application it seems that someone else bought this strip of land and applied to cut down the trees and turn it into garden ground so they could parcel it off and sell it to people to expand their gardens. This application was refused in 2017. It seems very suspicious that their solicitor did not spot this and they thought they didn't need planning permission considering this. They seem to have been scammed into buying a piece of worthless land. Actually it has hard to believe they didn't know about this refused application as this was for a much larger piece of land incorporating the piece they bought and presumably would have been notified to the whole neighbourhood, it seemed to receive 4 objections at the time.

 

https://planning.westlothian.gov.uk/publicaccess/applicationDetails.do?activeTab=documents&keyVal=OVI0IYRJ00T00

 

But that is not the fault of planning. So just for once I will give them the benefit of the doubt.

Edited July 9, 2020 by AliG

[joe90]

Yes I agree, but the salient point I believe is.
 

 “'Our solicitor informed us they had dealt with the sale of two of the adjoining plots at the top of our estate that had been converted into extended gardens and that as our change of land use was the same then planning permission should not be required.'

 

I would be suing the solicitor!!! (I hope they got it in writing) ?

Edited July 9, 2020 by joe90