Appeal allowed!

[Daniel H]

In case anyone is interested, we had some good news today.

 

To recap: the plot is a disused commercial building, in a village centre, in a Conservation Area, and in a National Park. It's directly overlooked by the neighbours who are on higher ground.

 

There were two reasons for refusal - the impact on the Conservation Area and the impact on the neighbours.

 

We'd offered a detailed study of the local area and showed how our design responded to it. The Inspector agreed with us.

 

But the Inspector agreed with the neighbours that there would be a negative impact on them.

 

He weighed it on the opportunity to redevelop a derelict site, the need for housing and the environmental credentials (EPC B in this case).

 

So that's the end of that chapter. Start = 11 July, site visit = 9 October, decision = 5 February.

 

Thanks for the moral and technical support from this group, and I'm happy to share more details if anyone needs them.

 

Now the actual work begins!

[ProDave]

Well done.  Buy why only aim for an EPC B.  Aim higher, not hard to get an A.

[Daniel H]

We might do - it's just based on our current SAP. We're at 86. Apparently, according to our consultant, it'll be £4,000 - £6,000 (saving £75/yr) to get one more point to get to 87 or to to get to A (102) it'll cost £15,000 - £25,000 (saving £652/yr). So taking the lower numbers break even conservatively in 53 years for one extra point, or 23 years to get to 102 (without factoring in the cast of the debt). I care a lot about the environment (I work tackling climate change), but I'm not sure why I'd bother doing that...! But we'll see where we get to now we can move to Stage 4.

[ProDave]

Don't believe those figures.  Just what is he suggesting that costs £4000 to get just 1 SAP point.

 

I suspect your best bang for your buck improvement would be solar PV, very cheap now, and if you can't have it on your roof due to conservation area, ground mount it.

 

The as built result will largely depend on details, like your actual air tightness test.  That is mostly down to detail, not cost.  How much will you be doing yourself?  If you are doing a lot, you can take the time to get it right at little cost.

[SteamyTea]

5 minutes ago, Daniel H said:

consultant

There is you problem, it will cost you nothing on here to ask questions.

[Daniel H]

Just now, SteamyTea said:

There is you problem, it will cost you nothing on here to ask questions.

 

Well, incoming in that case! Thanks - looking forward, and challenge accepted!

[SteamyTea]

2 minutes ago, Daniel H said:

challenge accepted

First thing to make sure is correct is your CIL entitlement.

[Daniel H]

3 minutes ago, ProDave said:

The as built result will largely depend on details, like your actual air tightness test.  That is mostly down to detail, not cost.  How much will you be doing yourself?  If you are doing a lot, you can take the time to get it right at little cost.

 

You're absolutely right - the air tightness is surely a major opportunity here (there's a limit to the solar we can install) and attention to that and building it into the tender process will be important. We haven't quite decided how much to do ourselves, but focusing on a few critical points is likely to get the best payoff, I suspect. I will start a thread in due course on the environmental aspects and read up on the rest of the forum for some of expertise from the community.

[Daniel H]

2 minutes ago, SteamyTea said:

First thing to make sure is correct is your CIL entitlement.

 

I have an email from the planning department saying they don't operate CIL. But I will double check - that was a year ago. 

 

Any other 'must dos' welcome!

[Big Jimbo]

20 minutes ago, SteamyTea said:

First thing to make sure is correct is your CIL entitlement.

No. Thats the second thing to do. The first is to get wrecked drinking Champagne.