'Pre-planning' application delayed!

socks_uk

We are hoping to errect a 4m x 3m log cabin (summerhouse) in our garden but was unsure as to whether we could build it due to us having some commercial properties (pizza,chinese & fish & chip takaways as well as a newsagents and vets) behind our back garden, about 20ft from where we want to build it.

So,I put in a 'Do I need planning permission?' form and a 'Do I need building regs?' form at the beginning of July. We got back the building regs one about 4 weeks ago and we are exempt and we've been patiently waiting for a reply back from the planning department. But, with my money sitting in the Halifax, and, with all the problems with HBOS last week I thought I'd ring up the planning department to see how my pre-application was going, only to be told by the lady dealing with my application that, although she is sure I am exempt from needing to apply for planning permission at the moment, the laws are changing next week and I will be exept next so she is keeping hold of my pre-application to deal with next week!

I know they probably have a queueing system and possibly a back-log but has anyone else heard of this happening to them? How long would the 'Do I need planning permission?' normally take to process?

I'm only becoming impatient because of the thought of my money in the Halifax disappearing and my log cabin plans sitting on the cabin company's desk waiting for me to give the go-ahead to place the order.

Thanks.

Doozergirl

She's right that the law is changing and that actually waiting until 1st October will probably save you time because you won't have to go through the application process at all.

It's good news, most likely.

Debt_Free_Chick

Agree with DG. The planning officer is deliberately - but helpfully - holding up your application so that on 1 October she can say "no, you don't need PP".

planning_officer

In actual fact, Class E of Part 2 of Schedule 2 of the Town and Country Planning (General Permitted Development) Order 1995 - which is the relevant legislation for ancillary residential outbuildings - is hardly changing at all under the revised legislation on 1 Oct. So if it doesn't need permission now, it's very unlikely to after 1 Oct!

socks_uk

Thanks for your replies,

I guess I'm just being impatient and I was beginning to worry about losing my money. 12 weeks seemed such a long time for a reply for the 'Do I need planning permission?' form for an oversized garden shed! I feel sorry for anyone who has to put in a 'real' planning application form! Goodness knows how long that process takes.

Thanks again.

andrew-b

Just be patient and wait as the delay is likely to work to your advantage with the new planning laws. Don't worry about your money in Halifax - your savings are much safer than they have ever been with the takeover by Lloyds (even our government won't be stupid enough to let this "superbank" go under in a hurry).

Going off-topic i feel HBOS were very wrong to sell out as they'd just gone through a share rights issue to raise extra cash and were in a stronger position. It's all the scaremongering by the city "spivs" that made them sell their souls! My HBOS shares are pretty much worthless now - if only i'd sold up when they were above £10 per share - now they are less than £2 per share!

Andy

planning_officer

socks_uk wrote: »

Thanks for your replies,

I guess I'm just being impatient and I was beginning to worry about losing my money. 12 weeks seemed such a long time for a reply for the 'Do I need planning permission?' form for an oversized garden shed! I feel sorry for anyone who has to put in a 'real' planning application form! Goodness knows how long that process takes.

Thanks again.

It's quite a common problem that councils take a long time to reply to informal enquiries like this - it's an unfortunate fact that councils are judged by Government on whether they meet their targets for deciding planning applications within 8 weeks - but there's no target for replying to letters, so unfortunately applications usually take priority. I agree though, it shouldn't be the case that it takes longer to get a reply for an informal enquiry than it does to have a planning application decided!

seven-day-weekend

At the Local Authority I used to work for, as well as the national target of eight weeks for deciding a planning application, we had an internal target to reply to informal enquiries within ten working days.

So, not long at all really!

planning_officer

Yep, ours is 14 days - but unfortunately when each officer has masses of work, it's just not possible to meet internal deadlines, as Government-set targets for planning applications take priority. Not ideal I know, but previous delays at my authority were just down to a staff shortage at the time. Now we've recruited several new staff, the situation's much better.

seven-day-weekend

Hi Planning Officer

Well as a Technician it was my job to write the letters most of the time! Although as I was in Enforcement, all mine were to do with enforcement issues.

I did have a small caseload of enforcement cases of my own too.

I took early retirement in 2004 (hence the Username!) and came to live in Spain with my husband.

Miss the job sometimes, enforcement can be very interesting and entertaining!

(Sorry OP for going off-topic - haven't spoken to a Planning Officer for ages!).

Dinah93

(Another planning officer here!)

We do not have any internal target for replying to enquiries as management decided it was simply making a rod for our own back. If an enquiry needs consultation from a couple of departmnets (ie Highways, Conservation, or Enivronmental Health) it can often take 3 weeks even to come back to us for us to look at to give an opinion on. All our files go up to building regs as well so we can give an answer from both sides in one letter.

Planning_Officer is right, the regulations don't change all that much for incidental buildings. Can you confirm the log cabin will be under 4m high with a pitched roof at the highest point (or under 3metres with a flat roof), or under 2.5 metres with any type of roof if within 2metres of the boundary of the curtilage of the dwelling house? Are the eaves under 2.5metres high? Seems obvious but the property isn't listed is it?

Regards, D x