How much detail do Planners actually need?

[Ferdinand]

Assumption: we are not listed, and not in a conservation area for this thread.

 

I am beginning to muse on building a studio bungalow, and I was thinking about what I should actually tell Planners at the Detailed Application stage - I think my preference is a conversation with the Duty Planner then straight to a full application. I hvae chatted about this before, but this is an example of the concept.

 

Now, the previous thread pointed out that Planners are concerned with (my summary) Public Realm / Environment and mainly appearance / context, while Building Standards are concerned with "Will it work technically and meet performance standards?".

 

Bearing in mind that somebody on here had an issue when he had to change his front door to a new model and the planners started flapping, my question is how much do we actually need to tell them?

 

Consider, for example, a window in a wall of my theoretical new bungalow.

 

If I choose a wall finish that is a light coloured render, I do not see why the planners need to know what sort of render it is or whether it is white, off white or light grey, pale yellow, periwinkle or coral. In theory istm that they should just need to know the tint not the hue. 

 

If my window is going to be a dark finish (say dark grey aluclad timber) I do not see why the Planner needs to know the particular manufacturer, or model, or precise material. Is it any skin off a planners nose whether the dark grey is aluminium, dark paint or plastic? Nor do I see that they need to know the u value, or whether it is 2G or 3G.

 

What is it reasonable not to tell them, and what can we get away with leaving out of a Detailed Application?

 

Very general questions, but fellow cud-chewers are welcome.

 

Ferdinand

 

Edited January 14, 2017 by Ferdinand

[Temp]

24 minutes ago, Ferdinand said:

If I choose a wall finish that is a light coloured render, I do not see why the planners need to know what sort of render it is or whether it is white, off white or light grey, pale yellow, periwinkle or coral. In theory istm that they should just need to know the tint not the hue. 

 

I would tell them as little as possible in the application. If the planners are concerned they will hit you with a condition that requires you to get materials/finishes/colours approved before work starts. Typically they will want you to submit a sample for approval so yes they may eventually want the exact colour/tint/hue/texture etc. However I've yet to see a condition that precludes you changing the colour after completion.

 

I had to get PP for an outbuilding in my back garden due to it being a conservation area and fronting a highway/footpath. I proposed oak cladding either allowed to silver or stained a light oak colour. They sent two planning officers to visit the site who said they were happy with my proposal and the colour. Then when it was approved there was a condition requiring me to get the finish approved. So I sent in a sample of the oak and they told me I had to paint it black! Having had a major battle getting the house approved I didn't want a repeat with the outbuilding so rather than argue I just sent them a sample painted black using whatever I had in the garage and they approved it. I never did paint the actual oak cladding black. It looks great stained light brown and nobody has ever came to check or complain.  Soon it will be 10 years since the building was completed and they won't be able to make me change it. Nobody that has seen it thinks it would be better black.

[Temp]

PS: In some parts of the country planners have got involved in matters that should really be left to Building Control in my opinion. I'm talking about the need for houses to meet environmental standards that are stricter than the Building Regulations. I know that's a good idea but I think it should be done by tightening the Building Regs rather than getting planners involved.

[ToughButterCup]

50 minutes ago, Temp said:

I would tell them as little as possible in the application.

 

I'd change that slightly to, '... just enough and no more...'

Reading similar successful applications might well be a helpful strategy.

[TheMitchells]

I have been surprised by how little was included in the full planning on the plot we are currently looking at.  They did include several conditions as mentioned above, saying they would need to  see samples of bricks, tiles etc but the actual planning agreed is quite minimal.  there isnt even anything on room sizes, just basic sizes for the building and its look. 

 

[Ferdinand]

The one I am looking at (260 sqm) had Outline PP in 2012, then in 2015, and the later one introduced a full set of ground conditions investigations Planning Conditions which were not there in the 2012 version.

 

Ferdinand