Jump to content

Labour's new planning strategy


Recommended Posts

Hiya

I was just wondering if anyone had read/heard anything about how Labour's new planning strategy could potentially affect self-builders.

For example, I have a 1/3-acre plot with outline planning permission, but it's outside the Local Plan Settlement boundary, so I can only build a replacement home, although there is probably room for two or three houses.

Thanks

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

20 minutes ago, lookseehear said:

I'm genuinely interested in what a better system might look like in terms of who should be making decisions. Is it so fundamentally broken that it's beyond repair for the forseeable?

 

I think you may be waiting some time. As above, there is no plan, and no clue. Just fuzzy words. They have used up 8% of there term already.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

>>> Is it so fundamentally broken

 

I think it is - the LPAs have way too much power. In particular they can delay for ever and most planning judgement is just personal opinion - which varies with the case officer, the day of the week, the weather etc. The rules need to be slashed by 50% or more for self or small housebuilders. And both the LPAs and the Inspectorate mislead the governement and the public with the way they mis-report their stats.

 

An architect friend tells me that if the French equivalent of an LPA doesn't make up its mind by the state-imposed deadline, then the application is automatically allowed. Here, delay is routinely used as an LPA negotiating tool.

  • Like 3
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Actually I thought Angela Rainer made sense on this subject on Sunday morning with .kuensberg, the LPA have a planning guide for the area negotiated with the locals and the gov have a national planning policy and if applications meet both criteria then planning must pass the application. 

  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

4 hours ago, lookseehear said:

I'm genuinely interested in what a better system might look like in terms of who should be making decisions. Is it so fundamentally broken that it's beyond repair for the forseeable?

Then the latest Government press release may be of interest: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/major-overhaul-of-planning-committees-to-get-britain-building

Link to comment
Share on other sites

21 minutes ago, saveasteading said:

is the mayor. Toddle into the village office and have a chat. Oui ou non.

At least that is the one experience I have.

Yes a friend of mine who moved to France had the same experience 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Indeed. We had an objection from someone who claimed our proposal would lead to an overdevelopment of the locale. That same person lives in their parents old house because their parents built a new house next door. The irony was clearly lost on them. What they really meant was that they don't want someone they don't see a "local" building in their area.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

16 hours ago, Alan Ambrose said:

An architect friend tells me that if the French equivalent of an LPA doesn't make up its mind by the state-imposed deadline, then the application is automatically allowed. Here, delay is routinely used as an LPA negotiating tool.

 

The problem here is that the LPA will just reject if it's approaching the deadline rather than allow an acceptance by default.

 

What you need to do is increase the friction for rejection (more paperwork, more signoff required etc) and reduce the friction for accepting and make it the default option. If there are humans making the decisions then they're subject to the same push and pull forces that we all are in decision making.

 

Rightly or wrongly people don't like change in their area, but the biggest reason that I hear anecdotally is always about infrastructure and often is more of a political issue than relating to development - not enough parking, not enough good school places, roads can't take more traffic, no doctors appointments already, too much immigration etc etc. yet the same people often bemoan the 'death of the high street' when a bit more footfall might make a difference there.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

49 minutes ago, lookseehear said:

not enough parking, not enough good school places, roads can't take more traffic, no doctors appointments

That's all true generally. The developers' contributions to local benefits tend to be small.

Of course the lump sums and extra rates go towards road maintenance, eventually.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

52 minutes ago, lookseehear said:

increase the friction for rejection

You assume that planners are against development.

They are bureaucratic personnel following guidelines, understaffed too.

It is for councillors and mp's to influence policy.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

13 minutes ago, saveasteading said:

You assume that planners are against development.

Unfortunately that is my feeling about them over quite a few years having to deal with them, even to the extent that a planner once said to me after showing my plans “we would struggle to reject that “ giving the impression that rejection was their go to position 🤷‍♂️

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Planners also call you up telling you it will be refused , but ; if you pull the application now it won’t then get listed as refused .

Why ? . Because the planning department get penalties for rejecting too many applications. This way their ‘pass’ rate looks really high ….

  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

24 minutes ago, Pocster said:

penalties for rejecting too many applications.

You'd have to show me that.

They do get penalties for missing deadlines, hence approving an extension of time is sometimes sought....and they wrongly threaten refusal.....

OTOH have you seen how poorly presented  many applications are?

 

I'm no lover of planning officers and they can be lazy and useless.

Have any decided aged 18 to study it so they can reject development? No.

Do any get off on the power? Yes.

 

36 minutes ago, joe90 said:

we would struggle to reject that

A good wind-up line.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

11 minutes ago, saveasteading said:

You'd have to show me that.

They do get penalties for missing deadlines, hence approving an extension of time is sometimes sought....and they wrongly threaten refusal.....

OTOH have you seen how poorly presented  many applications are?

 

I'm no lover of planning officers and they can be lazy and useless.

Have any decided aged 18 to study it so they can reject development? No.

Do any get off on the power? Yes.

 

A good wind-up line.

During my build I had 3 different architects / planners for planning applications etc . All 3 said the same . My first ‘architect ‘ use to work in the councils planning department - said it was common knowledge to get the applicant to pull the application rather than it’s refused ( perhaps the planning officer refusing it gets a rap on the knuckles if he rejects too many ? ) . As a side note this planner had to leave the council because he was taking backhanders to pass applications - his pass rate was very high . 
 

I even got the call a few times …


Perhaps it’s all ran legit now … 🙄

Edited by Pocster
Link to comment
Share on other sites

4 hours ago, Havkey100 said:

they don't want someone they don't see a "local" building in their area.

Very true down here, and the he local infrastructure arguement.

I constantly tell people that our local hospitals and roads are underused. Never goes down well, but I then point out the hat in the summer, the population swells by a factor of 2, and we all cope fine.

The reason schools are closing is that our replacement rate is about 1.4, not enough people are having kids to keep schools open.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Or how a planning officer tells you he will make sure you never get planning until the day he retires 

 

They allowed to make vague threats ?

 

Or told to stop putting in planning applications - you will never get this !

 

Sounds a bit hostile , yeah ?

 

Just as well I recorded this and other conversations….

 

You think they might be pressured to “ make this one go away “ ? .

 

Picked the wrong person for a fight 💪👍😊

  • Haha 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

26 minutes ago, Pocster said:

They allowed to make vague threats ?

That's not very vague.

Depending on context perhaps it is pompous more than a threat.  I've come across that. 'I follow policy, others rubber stamp stuff through'.

 

What happened to them eventually, or best not say?

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

13 minutes ago, saveasteading said:

That's not very vague.

Depending on context perhaps it is pompous more than a threat.  I've come across that. 'I follow policy, others rubber stamp stuff through'.

 

What happened to them eventually, or best not say?

I was being sarcastic .

I recorded it - it’s aggressive and defiant not posturing.

Lpa didn’t like it when I told them I had recordings 😊

He retired ; 3 yrs later ( and more applications and hassle of course ) it passed . Total of 5 yrs to get planning .

I play the long game 🤣

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
×
×
  • Create New...