Huge Backland development - help!!! Please!

mrschaucer

Ah trees! Classic ploy to make the plot look bigger. It's good that you can point out that several mature trees have been felled. Did you say they have taken out a hedge as well?
As far as the single storey bit is concerned, I'm afraid I can't help. I'm thinking that if the bedrooms are in the roof space, it would be the equivalent of a chalet-bungalow type hybrid which everyone would accept as being two storey. "Mainly single storey" is stretching the truth somewhat especially with the double height sitting room. Do those enormous store rooms have windows, or could they have windows added? If so they are bedrooms in all but name and doubtless will be made so in the future.

frugalfran

The owner told me how clever the architect had been in designing the house so that the 'store space' could be made into bedrooms - but can I quote that?

Have to log off and have a change of scene..... All getting a bit much for me,. but thanks to you all for your advice and support

Cash-Cow_3

frugalfran wrote: »

The owner told me how clever the architect had been in designing the house so that the 'store space' could be made into bedrooms - but can I quote that?

Have to log off and have a change of scene..... All getting a bit much for me,. but thanks to you all for your advice and support

If a room is big enough to be a bedroom then it's a bedroom. They can call it a store, gym, study but if it can get a bed in it it's a bedroom.

mrschaucer

Don't quote the owner (!) but merely point out in your letter that you note that the SECOND STOREY has been designed in such a way to allow for the formation of a further two bedrooms, making a future four-bedroomed home ...

System

the artists impression is just a pretty picture, it holds no information about the distance between things, planning officers are pretty wise to these things, but they can only judge them on what is put in frony of them, sometimes there will be conditions about coverting garages if it looks like the garage has been designed for it.
you can only object to material planning considerations, unfortunately all you have suggested are things you think about the plans and not actually that relevant to planning, by all means raise your objections as the planning officer will have to address them but if you can't come up with anything meatier than that you will likely be politely dismissed.
what they have sounds like storey and a half, which is a single storey with rooms in the roof, that is different to two storey which would have full walls to the height of the ceiling in the upper floor
pm me a copy of the reference number on the planning portal and i'll have a look to see if there are any other things you might want to object to

frugalfran

Thank you all so much for your replies, ideas and suggestions for wording. We have seen the Resident's Assoc rep and see our local councillor later today. We also found http://www.planning-applications.co.uk/objection.htm very useful as the web site for Richmond Council for a list of the MPCs. We are using all your ideas - will keep you informed, but any more ideas are always welcome! What a great help MSE is and its followers are!

Leif

I think you can get the deeds to their property allowing you to check for any restrictions on their land. I would have thought the planning people would do that as part of assessing the proposal but you never know they might miss something. Sometimes builders impose odd constraints on development, often as a way to get money i.e. you can pay them off.

Cash-Cow_3

Leif wrote: »

I think you can get the deeds to their property allowing you to check for any restrictions on their land. I would have thought the planning people would do that as part of assessing the proposal but you never know they might miss something. Sometimes builders impose odd constraints on development, often as a way to get money i.e. you can pay them off.

If builders have covenants on land then that is a civil matter and not a planning matter. Even if the covenant said 'no dwellings' you can still get planning permission. In any case insurance policies can be purchased against action against a covenant anyway.

Planning officers don't usually check deeds. Anyway land ownership is not a planning consideration.

frugalfran

Good meeting with our local councillor - he advised us to phone the planning officer concerned and discuss our objections. We thought we had to go through the whole thing in writing, a telecon might achieve more..... Don't believe we can stop it, but we do have a list of things we would like to have changed, a list of things we must know much more about (landscaping / SUDS report), and a list of hoped for restrictions should / if / when it is approved.....
When it's over I'll post the web sites we found stuff on to help others in this situation- unless someone tells me it has been done already - in which case I'd love to see it!

mrschaucer

By all means telephone, but PLEASE don't think that's all you need to do. I can't stress this enough - make sure you get everything down in writing in a formal letter, (sometimes you can do it on the Council website) before the closing date for objections. The applicants have a right to see all objections and could put in further letters of clarification, offers to amend etc, so you need to be very proactive before the planning decision is made to keep up with any changes. Remember if the application later goes to appeal it will likely be by written submissions, and your original WRITTEN objections will be forwarded. There is also strength in numbers, so try and get as many interested parties as possible to WRITE with their objections.