people with clever socks required.

[Big Jimbo]

Right a brief summary. I bought an old bungalow, 1942, in the greenbelt in hertfordshire Two years ago. I put in a couple of LDC's and a NCS in order to wake up my planners and establish my permitted developement rights. I then put in an application to extend the existing bungalow from about 650 sq ft to aprox 2600sq ft. The planning officer advised that he would not pass it because of the design. I withdrew it, and re-submitted a new design of about 3000sq ft and got it passed. I bullied the planning officer, who has the personality of a plant. One that has'nt been watered for several months. Now i could go ahead and build this, although i don't really like the design. However i do have it as my fall back position. If i were to build it, I would just sell it, because i have no need for a 3000sq ft house. If however i could build Two houses instead, i would be able to sell One, and keep the other to live in.  I then drew up Two houses and put it in for planning permission. It rightly got refused for basically "Over developement in the greenbelt". Being on this forum, and reading lots, and lots on the internet, i went back to the drawing board. I believe that i have now got a design for Two houses, and that i have demonstrated that they would be less harmful to the Greenbelt than my Existing permission to extend to 3000sq ft. This is where the people with clever socks come into play. My Design and access statement is 32 pages of A4, and there are 26 pages at A3 of drawings. I am hoping to submit it early next week, and i have gone over it several times.

However, i like the idea of a few other people reading it, people that may be able to say, "You missed this or that" etc. I can't put it up here, due to it's size, but if there are any people who fancy wasting an hour of there life, and fancies have a read let me know by P.M. If you give me your email, i can send it directly to you. I know you are all busy, but for anybody who does give it a go, I will donate £10 per person to the Dogs Trust (Where i got my boy from) Regards Jim

[Dreadnaught]

17 minutes ago, Big Jimbo said:

If you give me your email, i can send it directly to you. I know you are all busy, but for anybody who does give it a go, I will donate £10 per person to the Dogs Trust (Where i got my boy from)

 

What a good idea!

 

I would offer but, as I am only at planning on my first build, unfortunately my input would not be worth toffee.

[Patrick]

Probably not helpful to you, but a friend had a similar problem. He was thinking of building  his 250sqm house and changed the design so he "accidentally" ended up having a wall approx. In the middle and bathroom on each side of the house. Also there was plumbing for kitchen next to each bathroom but only 1 kitchen was put in. The wall in the middle obviously needed a door otherwise would be 2 seperat houses. It was approved by planners. Next thing is just to complete and than do a renovation after where there comes a second kitchen and closing of the doorway. Like I said, not quite on topic as it might be not what you want, just an idea

[joe90]

Yes, when I was fighting my planners they suggested I build “what they wanted” and then extended it in the future??? Go figure!

[Mr Punter]

Are you considering a pair of semi detached? It may be an easier way to gain consent, then try for 2 x detached later.

[Big Jimbo]

1 hour ago, Dreadnaught said:

 

What a good idea!

 

I would offer but, as I am only at planning on my first build, unfortunately my input would not be worth toffee.

Not looking for experts. just honest opinions. So if you want to give it ago.

[Big Jimbo]

1 hour ago, joe90 said:

Yes, when I was fighting my planners they suggested I build “what they wanted” and then extended it in the future??? Go figure!

Thats because most of them are muppets. I have very little time for them , but always like a good fight.

[Big Jimbo]

5 minutes ago, Mr Punter said:

Are you considering a pair of semi detached? It may be an easier way to gain consent, then try for 2 x detached later.

No. I believe i have justified the building of 2 detached, and i like a fight, and find that planners tend to be muppets. If you fancy taking a look, let me know. Not looking for experts, just honest opionions.

[joe90]

9 minutes ago, Big Jimbo said:

Thats because most of them are muppets. 

 

Dead right, I took mine to appeal and won hands down, appeal inspector even documented that the planner was not abiding by their own policies!!!!

[Big Jimbo]

1 minute ago, joe90 said:

 

Dead right, I took mine to appeal and won hands down, appeal inspector even documented that the planner was not abiding by their own policies!!!!

It's the negative attitude that gives me the hump. It seems that as soon as a proposal lands on thier desk, the first thought is "How can i refuse this" If you fancy reading mine, another £10 to the dogs trust ?

[ragg987]

Don't have the time to read it, but my story as input:

 

We purchased an old bungalow on about 0.25 acres. Approx 90m2. We got approved for a replacement of 330m2. So far so good, alighned to your experience.

 

However, before we purchased the developer who owned the bungalow attempted 3 times to get planning for 2 houses. He started with large houses and scaled downwards with each iteration, by his last attempt the 2 houses were smaller than our single dwelling. Planners insisted it was "over-development" and then aspects like over-bearing etc came into play. Our single dwelling probably has similar bearing but was not deemed an issue.

[Big Jimbo]

12 minutes ago, ragg987 said:

Don't have the time to read it, but my story as input:

 

We purchased an old bungalow on about 0.25 acres. Approx 90m2. We got approved for a replacement of 330m2. So far so good, alighned to your experience.

 

However, before we purchased the developer who owned the bungalow attempted 3 times to get planning for 2 houses. He started with large houses and scaled downwards with each iteration, by his last attempt the 2 houses were smaller than our single dwelling. Planners insisted it was "over-development" and then aspects like over-bearing etc came into play. Our single dwelling probably has similar bearing but was not deemed an issue.

That may have been the case, however, i believe that my proposal for 2 is better than my planning for one. I believe that i have done enough in my application to demonstrate that. Only time will tell. The application will be going in via the planning portal on Sunday evening.

[ragg987]

Best of luck!

[Moonshine]

On 11/04/2019 at 09:18, Big Jimbo said:

My Design and access statement is 32 pages of A4, and there are 26 pages at A3 of drawings.

 

I haven't reviewed the document, and i don't know the full issues, but i would stay that is a huge D&A statement and could it be that you giving too much information, which could be used against you?

[Sue B]

My D & A statement is 17 pages and I thought that was a lot!!  

 

Unfortunately I don’t have the skills to offer any real advice other than I sent our first draft back with over a page of queries / corrections. 

 

The whole ole issue is not particularly size - each dwelling brings an additional household with the necessary cars & inhabitants  etc. With it.  I had tried to design our place as someone above - so it could be divided after completion.  I just couldn’t do it well enough and small enough for us to be able to do it.

[Big Jimbo]

3 hours ago, Moonshine said:

 

I haven't reviewed the document, and i don't know the full issues, but i would stay that is a huge D&A statement and could it be that you giving too much information, which could be used against you?

I know what you are saying. My last application for 2 houses which was refused had a two page D&A. The problem i feel is that you have a certain level of expectation as to the abilities of the planning officer. If you leave out things that seem obvious to you, the planning officer just dont get it. In view of the last one, this time i have covered everything, so that if i dont get a grant, i can go straight to appeal without further work.