I've got a planning officer visiting, any advise please

blue_monkey_2

I've received a letter this morning and I've arranged for a planning officer to visit but wanted some advice before please as I thought we had checked everything out.

We have a shed in the garden, 18ft x 10ft 7 ft high. I store my stock in there as I work from home. It is described as 'large shed to the rear of the property'. We checked this out with everyone we went to about quotes and they all said no planning was needed. It also replaced another shed which was taller but smaller but had been there for about 18 months.

'New driveway has been put in'. We have done the front garden, levelled it and pinned back, widened the front by around 3 metres (no kerbs removed just a grass verge there) and replaced the big old concrete blocks that were there (they were tipping and one of the kids nearly got their foot caught when a car went over it) with gravel drive, no concrete. Replaced the tarmaced path with a paving stone one.

My son has a Blue Badge and we live on an unlit unpaved road (a lane, not an A, B or C road) and we had nowhere to park the car becaue it would not fit in, if I did need planning permission can I apply for it now, if it is refused can I apply to have a disabled bay built and how would I go about this.

Also I've been reported as 'running a business from the property'. Well, I have a website, post parcels and so I work from home. My stock is stored in the shed, I have a courier once a week but no more than anyone else as a lot comes by royal mail. I asked permission from the Housing Association nearly 2 years ago and they said it was fine, I have the letter here. No-one has no idea I am here. I get orders by email and post them out at the Post Office. I have no callers to the house. I called the council about rates and they said they were not interested in people like me working from home.

I know who has reported me, someone told me that they got all their work done by him otherwise he 'made their lives a misery when it came to planning permission and building regs' the same man felt fit to abuse me in the street as we did not employ his services to do our garden. My mistake was apparently to answer him back and not be bullied by him - in front of my friends.

On a side note, his visitors (large cars and vans) were always parked across our drive with vans and so we could not get the car in and out of the drive, we used to have to park away from the house until they had gone - now we no longer have this problem and have made an additional parking space in the street. I am not going to be bullied by this man to put money in his pocket so just making sure I've got all the info I need for when planning comes out. If I need to do things differently I will but I checked everything out I needed to and I am just angry right now.

PS. Only possible space for BB parking is outside his house and he would lose his van parking. Oops. I am here all day every day so he would nto be able to take the space either. So any advice on how to get a bay if I have to close my drive up again would be most appreciated. Thank you.

angelavdavis

From what you are saying, I cannot see the planning officer having any issues.

I would, however, check on the Planning pages of your local council web site to see if there is an FAQ section that may advise about shed sizes, off street parking, etc for your local area. Usually planning is required to lower a kerb - but as you say, in your case, this doesn't apply. If you have any old photos of the area you have renovated, then I would ensure these are to hand for inspection if needed.

As you have permission from the Local Housing about running your mail order business from home, I wouldn't worry about it.

The Council have a right to followup complaints from neighbours which is all they are doing.

I would just treat the Planning officer with respect and prove that you have nothing to hide.

Best not mention that the person you suspect has been bullying, etc to the Planning officer unless they bring up the subject. If that person's behaviour continues, I would complain to the police about harrassment.

Hopefully once the Planning officer has visited, the whole thing will be set to rest.

McKneff

I agree with the above.
Just be yourself, show him the proof from the HA

Dont mention the neighbour, he/it is irrelevant to your situation with the planning office.

Offer him a coffee.:D

Please let us know how you get on.

tiggs239

I worked for planning office for 10 years and lost count of the amount of people who had been advised by conservatory or shed suppliers that they did not require planning permission for the structure. The planning officer will advise you if you need to do anything and if you do not need permission, they will confirm everything in writing for you. In my experience its always best to check with the local planning office rather than the supplier / contractor. Hopefully everything will be resolved for you tomorrow.

blue_monkey_2

Thanks for setting my mind at rest and for letting me know what I should and should not be doing. We are quite new here and want to stay forever so it was important that we made the house nice and looked after it. I'll get all of the paperwork together and make sure I've got all I need. I do understand he is doing his job and following up on what he has been told - and we could have anything, he just needs to see it. Still feel quite nervous about it though. Recently my husband got some money for an industrial injury and have had some work done and got a new car - the car got something thrown at it, we got a disability grant for new doors and the house got egged. It is just annoying and irritating that he can continue to do stuff like this.

Tiggs, we checked out all of the planning regs online but asked the shed companies to be doubly sure. I am pretty sure that it is fine - there are plenty more sheds along our street that are higher, plus some are the same size. Our garden dips down and we have dug it out but the raised bit is where it should be (can show him where we had to have extra gravel boards along the fence) and yes, we have lots of before pics from when the garden was being done.

It just irritates me that this bloke has done this out of pure spite because he could not get work/money out of us. Thank god. I'd never employ someone so damn unpleasant. What is a shame is that I was friends with his daughter as both our children share the same disability and it is nice to have someone to speak to but she has been avoiding me for ages and I guess this is why - she knew what her dad had done.

I suppose it is better than what I was told he would probably do - burn my house down. He also took an axe to someone else's construction because he did not want it there so maybe I've just got to be grateful I've only got the planning man coming around.

McKneff

Dont forget to let us know how you get on.

anotherbigspender

You may be asked to apply for planning permission for some or all of the 'building' work you describe above, i.e. the shed and driveway. Without more information I can't advise for definite. In a sense there is no point in trying to work it out for you - if it needs permission the planner will tell you tomorrow (or perhaps write to you) - none of it sounds particularly contentious and I can't imagine you wouldn't get permission if its needed.

The 'running a business from home thing' is more a matter of interpretation of what you are doing. In order for it to need planning permission you would need to have changed the primary use of the house to a non residential use and be causing disturbance not normally associated with a residential environment. Tell tale signs are using more than one bedroom / box room as an office and having numerous daily deliveries. You don't describe doing either. You might find they monitor things for a little while but from what you describe they shouldn't find any issues.

blue_monkey_2

McKneff wrote: »

Dont forget to let us know how you get on.

Thanks will do, they are coming next week.

impulsive

I would be inclined to invest in some CCTV for your property. This man sounds like a right loose canon.

blue_monkey_2

anotherbigspender wrote: »

You may be asked to apply for planning permission for some or all of the 'building' work you describe above, i.e. the shed and driveway. Without more information I can't advise for definite. In a sense there is no point in trying to work it out for you - if it needs permission the planner will tell you tomorrow (or perhaps write to you) - none of it sounds particularly contentious and I can't imagine you wouldn't get permission if its needed.

The 'running a business from home thing' is more a matter of interpretation of what you are doing. In order for it to need planning permission you would need to have changed the primary use of the house to a non residential use and be causing disturbance not normally associated with a residential environment. Tell tale signs are using more than one bedroom / box room as an office and having numerous daily deliveries. You don't describe doing either. You might find they monitor things for a little while but from what you describe they shouldn't find any issues.

The only reason said person knows I 'run a business from the property' is because his daughter came and bought something. Until a few months back they had no idea. I keep it very discreet because I fear upsetting the neighbours and they tell me I cannot do it any longer.

I'll let you know what happens but it has set my mind at rest and helped me sleep tonight. It gave me such a bad a bad headache I thought I was going to be physically sick. Just annoyed with myself for letting it get to me I guess. Thank you.

blue_monkey_2

impulsive wrote: »

I would be inclined to invest in some CCTV for your property. This man sounds like a right loose canon.

We tend to keep ourselves to ourselves tbh but next door had problems too, and the lady hnext to him has to get him to do any work she needs doing on her house otherwise he makes her life hell. Everyone has something bad to say about him. Even the village societies give him the work as they know he'll fight and opose everything. Thing is, they offer him the work and a lot of the time he just does not turn up and do it. Or it'll take him 18 months to finish the job.

He is a complete control freak/nutter/{insert your own words}. However, he is just like my dad and he does not bully me anymore either. I had many years of that and managed to break away. Live and learn and all that. I wonder if would have been the same had I not answered back. I feel so sorry for his wife.

The son put his wife in hospital a few months back - it was OK though, she was asking for it, she is always asking for it - apparently. :eek: