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

slummymummyof3

You may need building regulations for the driveway - but that is a seperate entity to planning.

27col

He sounds like a menace, so the cctv might be a good idea, if it is him causing the damage. Particularly if you are intending to stand up to his bullying. It sounds as if the societies that you mention are a load of wimps. Surely someone there has the guts to mark his card. If not, he will just go on being obnoxious.

blue_monkey_2

Just some more update really, just making sure I've got everything I need for when they come out next week.

Turns out that the bloke who reported me has extended his kitchen into his garage, which is attached to his house and with a storey on top (IYSWIM), he has also knocked down his external back wall and erected a very big conservatory. Both done without planning permission.

This morning I realised I never got given a handbook when my tenancy was turned into a secure one, and I called a neighbour and asked for hers as the letter I have refers to it (but says what the clause is in the letter - not causing annoyance to neighbours). Anyhow, I told her why I needed it and she said 'right, if he wants to play at that game....' then told me the above.....

Never has the phrase 'people in glass houses......' ever been more apt. He clearly thinks he is immune from what he is reporting everyone else for. Doh!!

I am however, kind of scared he might set fire to my shed as he is - as I have been told - a nutter. I've been told that he'll probably set fire to my house at night (and I've had that done by an ex 22 years back and it still haunts me - it took me a few nights to get a good nights sleep after being told that, I have a smoke alarm by the door though so I can wake up early). Can I get some sort of fire retardent paint does anyone know??

When the village put a wooden stile up to stop scooters coming through field and the alley this bloke took and axe to it. They then replaced it with a metal one. Hence my worry he will set fire to the shed if he does not get 'his own way' over something.

I have to say that everyone I have told is just stunned I've been reported because the garden looks better, we have made more parking and I really am not a nuisance. I've got all of my invoices from the parcels I've had delivered and in 3 months I've probably had8-10 deliveries in all. And some of them are bought by the same courier and in the same week/same day as the orders are placed at the same time.

KeithP

blue_monkey wrote: »

Hence my worry he will set fire to the shed if he does not get 'his own way' over something.

Sounds like a very good reason for some cctv.

WestonDave

Although its tempting to chuck some mud back I wouldn't. Firstly the fact that he may have done something dodgy won't excuse anything you have done wrong. Secondly your desired outcome from this is for the planning officer to have his look around and say at the end "all seems in order here Ms BlueMonkey, sorry to take up your time". There is little point antagonising a nutter when you don't need to!

I would even go as far as after the visit assuming nothing is wrong, saying locally that the officer didn't seem to think anything was wrong but I need to wait for written confirmation. No-one will ask you again whether you've had the confirmation but meanwhile matey won't know for sure whether any action is being taken and will have no means of finding out (short of asking the council!) He will then be unsure whether he has succeeded or not - worst of all worlds no satisfaction but no excuse for revenge!

angelavdavis

I agree with WestonDave, don't antagonise the guy - he sounds a right basket-case to me! If you don't react, he will hopefully get bored.

I can't believe how individuals like this control the whole area around them and the authorities do nothing about it.

blue_monkey_2

Thanks for the support, hard to turn the other cheek but I am going to. Because I am quite involved in the village and he is not he is going to make more enemies out of it - if that is even possible. I even heard him having a rant at the window cleaner when I came back from walking the dog.

That being said I've turned into a paranoid freak with a tape measure and I was out in the dark and rain as I knew I would not be able to sleep if I did not double check everything... but I think we will be fine.

The first shed we put up (leaked and this is why we got the bigger one but this is still 6 x 12 and no-one complained about that) is too near our house. The thing is, everyone has theirs their and it is why we thought we could have it - so I am not sure what is going to happen about that. Again, it'll mean just replacing it with a smaller one but it is not a big deal as we are not really using it for anything.

The top of our garden slopes up quite high, used to be around 3ft, and hubby chopped a flat bit out and so there used to be a shed on top of the slope, but we chopped the sloping bit right down and retained what was left and put the shed is on there - it's not huge, 17 inches tall but the shed fits slightly inside this (maybe 3 inches). It was less than this but with the rain and walking on it the garden before the turf had settled properly it has 'dropped' and the complete height is around 5cms too tall of the 250 cm's.

IF the worst comes to the worst we will either being in some topsoil and returf it to where it was or bring the shed off the taller bit of the garden and put it on the lower bit and turn that into a veggie patch. It'll be a little bit of hassle but it can be done so we are fine with that. You can actually see where the new garden has been done and that it has dropped in the middle as it is up higher near the fence where no-one walks. IYSWIM.

If they complain about the gravel we are going to grass it and get those things you can drive on placed in the turf to make parking space. We parked there for almost 2 years when it was a bog and no-one complained about that (I have pictures dated ith my old car on there)

I'd like to top my shed off with a weather vane comprising of a hand with 2 fingers sticking up though. Must. Resist. Temptation.

But I am going to work with the planner and at least I can be sure that everything we have then done is right but I think all of the issues we are expecting will be the ones we know about.

The price you pay for wanting to have a nice garden. I said we would have to get a nice suite and fridge for the lawn if they really want something to complain about

Jue_xx

Best of luck, blue_monkey, I hope everything goes well for you. When is the visit? Let us know the outcome.

You should go on Dragon's Den with the weather vane idea - could be a big seller!:D

blue_monkey_2

Thanks for making me smile Jue, that is a great idea!

I'll post back when they have been.

blue_monkey_2

Well, update. Everything is fine. Planner had a look of 'it's one of those calls again' about him but he was really nice and easy to speak to.

Drive and garden - fine.
Working from home - fine.
Shed size - fine.
Being on the raised bed - fine.

We could even have less than 5sqm of hardstanding without it requiring planning permission if we wanted it.

Nothing about the other shed being too close either.

I feel I have lost a week of my life worrying over this for nothing. But, on the plus side, if someone now says something about us having work done 'without planning' then we can say that planning have approved it all already. I did give him a smile and a wave as he left so I hope over the road saw that.

We are going to tell everyone that he has been out but he measured up and 'will be writing to us'. LOL. Thanks for that advice. I think that will work better as they will not know whether or not it worked.

What is more, I asked if we needed planning for an open porch and he has told us we can build an enclosed porch of no more than 3m high and 3sqm floor without planning permission. We have booked a holiday but after that guess what we will be saving for? We did want one but now we have an incentive.... LOL.

Thank you for your help and suggestions.