Hello! And, err... our appeal was dismissed :-(

[garrymartin]

45 minutes ago, Alan Ambrose said:

Great that you got a much speeded up start letter. Curious though. The take from my own appeals is that both the LPA and the Inspector largely make it up as they go along. Is this one a different inspector? - I noticed that they seem to end up with quite different pass and fail stats.

I don't know who the Inspector will be, but I doubt you'd get the same one twice.

[garrymartin]

Quick update.

 

The LPA Statement of Case was quite poor - they even misrepresented my "brownfield" status by saying residential gardens are excluded according to the NPPF, but only residential gardens in urban areas are excluded, and we aren't in an urban area. You would think professional planners in Local Authorities would know these things, but apparently not...

 

I have provided a robust response to the points they make in my Final Comments, and also found several appeals that agree with my position that I should not be required to pay an affordable housing contribution, which was fantastic. One particular appeal directly references the points I made in both my application and Statement of Case, so I have included that as a reference. Should save me £12,797 if the appeal is allowed!

 

Now we just wait.

 

Current determination timings are 27 weeks (median) and 29 weeks (mean). From our start date, that would be 21st October or 4th November. Fingers crossed it is earlier.