Its only taken 8 years to kick them out: lessons learned

[ToughButterCup]

In attempt to prevent someone else suffering what we have had to put up with for the last 8 years, this post summarises key aspects of this case and itemises our lessons learned.

 

Here's the background to a long and determined attempt to squat on open farmland. The saga started 8 years ago, and will end on the 27th of December this year.  And here's the Inspector's uncomfortably-well written Decision . I found myself clutching my withers at her uncompromising written style, attention to detail, diplomacy  and mastery of detail. 

 

Summary

We were awarded Planning Permission in 2015

25 yards away - crucially separated by a farm track - the new landowner moved in to a caravan sited on the field next door

A cesspit was dug - open to air within a meter from a fence by the track

He made Planning Applications . All were refused.

Then he builds a dwelling house INSIDE the caravan. Swing a mouse? No chance.

Subsequent Appeals were also refused.

Enforcement Notices (EN) were issued

HM Inspectors visited 

The first EN was quashed. Because the owner had built a dwellinghouse inside the caravan. Yes, you read that correctly.

A further EN was issued

Inspectors visted again and a Public Meeting (of interested parties only) was held. Despite an invitation, I stayed away from the meeting.

The Refusal was published yesterday  (Enforcement Notice Upheld with amendments)

 

 

Lessons Learned

 

Cesspits need Planning Permission and Building Control Sign off. 

Here's the point:  The moment you see  an open cesspit in use, write to your LPA with evidence.

Heres the point:  Stick to the knitting: the lack of Planning Permission: the LPA tried to fob us off with Environmental Health

Heres the Point : If the LPA does not address the issue within 8 weeks or so, make a formal complaint. 

 

The Environmental Agency is a chocolate fireguard

I didn't take a log of the number of times I rang them or wrote to them: but each time I was fobbed off. One unusually candid Officer told me directly that unless there was a major spillage of effluent they were not interested : a two person cesspit was almost irrelevant he said.

Here's the point:  save time, forget about the EA

 

Caravans are not always caravans

If a caravan has block-work poking out of its underskirts and the block work is connected to a foundation pad, its a Dwelling House

If a caravan is hidden behind a high wall, densly planted Leylandii and guarded by a Rhodesian Ridgeback dog: smell the rat

Here's the Point: be as persistent in your pushback as the applicant is in deceit.

 

Do not bother to contact your MP

Here's the point: ours thought of herself as a referral unit. No action was taken as a result of her involvement.

 

Why have I bothered to make this post..... ?

 

Had I taken effective , determined action promptly - the following would not be the case

 

The high walls that disfigure the lane will stay : why ? 4 Year Rule

The cesspit will stay will stay : why ?  4 Year Rule

The Caravan will stay: why ? 4 Year Rule

The Leylandii (30) continue to grow in a hedgerow full of natural species.

 

And all because the LPA simply did not do their job in a timely fashion. And when they stirred their stumps  they did a sloppy job.

 

If you have a point to make in terms of Planning Enforcement and - on the basis of evidence , you are sure of your case .

Go in hard, determined and armed with every scrap of relevant evidence clearly itemised and described.

 

The only excuse I can muster in self-defence is that I had a house of my own to build.

 

The Head Of Planning has resigned recently. I pity the organisation that recruited him.

[Kelvin]

What a PIA. 

 

I hope they don’t start dumping pig shit near you!

 

 

[ToughButterCup]

7 minutes ago, Kelvin said:

What a PIA. 

I  hope they don’t start dumping pig shit near you!

 

I grew up on a pig farm: and love them. If you know what you are doing, well-handled, pig-poo is top stuff.

I would be as pleased as punch to look after them. Well-kept porkers don't smell at all. As a kid I always had a pet piglet.

 

And I love shooting rats: they're worthy opponents.

But, as you might expect, my soon to be has-been neighbour is not well disposed to me. He's the kind of bloke who makes constant reference to England not being the kind of place his dad fought for any more.

 

Lucky he doesn't know I'm German ( 'old a minnit... if he did then that'd explain a lot. Ah well, never mind what a shame)

[nod]

54 minutes ago, ToughButterCup said:

 

I grew up on a pig farm: and love them. If you know what you are doing, well-handled, pig-poo is top stuff.

I would be as pleased as punch to look after them. Well-kept porkers don't smell at all. As a kid I always had a pet piglet.

 

And I love shooting rats: they're worthy opponents.

But, as you might expect, my soon to be has-been neighbour is not well disposed to me. He's the kind of bloke who makes constant reference to England not being the kind of place his dad fought for any more.

 

Lucky he doesn't know I'm German ( 'old a minnit... if he did then that'd explain a lot. Ah well, never mind what a shame)

👏 

[ProDave]

Reading that report, shows that you only got PP for yours Ian due to a lucky narrow window where the council did not have a 5 year plan so could not refuse it.  It's no wonder when just a very short time later they do have a plan in place and your neighbour is excluded, he feels the system has let him down.

 

So I take it the "house within a caravan" can remain to be an eyesore, it's just that nobody can live in it?

[ToughButterCup]

3 hours ago, ProDave said:

Reading that report, shows that you only got PP for yours Ian due to a lucky narrow window where the council did not have a 5 year plan so could not refuse it. ....

 

So I take it the "house within a caravan" can remain to be an eyesore, it's just that nobody can live in it?

 

Yes, and Yes.

And so can the wall and the cesspit.

The pigs may well remain too. 

 

I think I permission about a month before the window shut. Had the applicant managed the micropolitics of the situation better, I guess he could have squeezed his application through too. He's so in-yer-face with anyone and everyone: even his partner admits that he has anger-management issues.

He also deliberately delayed his application because he wanted to open a bakery on the site where the stables now are.

A fatal delay.

 

8 / 9 years ...... talk about grinding slow......