Anyone know much about planning permission?

planning_officer

GDB2222 wrote: »

I notice that the application for extension needs to be made within the 3 years lifetime of the existing permission. My impression is that the extension would be pretty much automatically granted and would last 3 years. Is that right? What happens if the local authority has changed its planning criteria since the original application was granted?

Yes, the application needs to be submitted (not determined) prior to the three years expiring. Yes, pretty much all the extension of time limit applications I have dealt with have been approved, as planning policies rarely change radically. If there had been a relevant policy change though, or a change in site circumstances, then an application could be refused. I have dealt with a handful of applications for new dwellings that, although originally granted, were refused when the applicant came to extend the time limit. That was due to certain circumstances changing over the past three years.

GDB2222

Can I just check the current position, please? The details of the original application are:
Decision Made Date Tue 05 Jan 2010
Decision Issued Date Thu 07 Jan 2010

It is now 11 Jan 2013, and I can see no sign of an application to extend the permission having been made. Does that mean that the planning permission has now lapsed, and they have to start all over again?

Fuzzyness

subject to the permission having a three year time period within which to start you could be fairly sure that if they did want to build they would need to submit a new application.

GDB2222

Thanks. The present application has a big basement, and there is talk of the council limiting such developments in future. I don't know if that will, or can, come to anything, though?

Furts

GDB2222 wrote: »

Thanks. The present application has a big basement, and there is talk of the council limiting such developments in future. I don't know if that will, or can, come to anything, though?

"Big basement"...does this give you concerns regarding proximity to your house and The Party Wall Act?

I expect you have checked, but just in case, it is worth mentioning.

GDB2222

Furts wrote: »

"Big basement"...does this give you concerns regarding proximity to your house and The Party Wall Act?

I expect you have checked, but just in case, it is worth mentioning.

The PWA may come into play, but there are also concerns about changes to the water table. We get a lot of surface water run off from that property, anyway.

Apart from that, they are really proposing a blooming big hole in the ground that will cover most of the garden, take months to dig, and involve many, many lorry-loads of spoil to drive away.

Furts

GDB2222 wrote: »

The PWA may come into play, but there are also concerns about changes to the water table. We get a lot of surface water run off from that property, anyway.

Apart from that, they are really proposing a blooming big hole in the ground that will cover most of the garden, take months to dig, and involve many, many lorry-loads of spoil to drive away.

Surface water run off suggests you are a lower level. With the land drainage they would be wise to install around their basement at least this issue may be resolved.