Householder planning application - anybody with any experience?

Charlton_King

Hi folks.

I'm a bit hot under the collar because I've just been told by my local authority Planning Department that, yes, I probably do need a 'house holder planning approval' for a very minor piece of work. They hadn't been sure - the kind of thing I'm proposing is what has already been done up and down my estate by multiple households without, I suspect, even telling the LA. Suddenly, surprise, surprise, they're sure.

Now I feel I have to go ahead with this application, for which they've sent me an online link, simply because I have made my intention known to them.

My question is: does anyone know how long-winded and complicated this process is? As yet I've only taken a look at the first page of the online form... but, reading between the lines, my guess is that there are several hours worth of work still to come after that.

societys_child

You 'probably' need approval . . . so they're still not sure :huh:

How minor is it?

Charlton_King

societys_child wrote: »

You 'probably' need approval . . . so they're still not sure :huh:

How minor is it?

It's just boxing in an existing front porch with brickwork which matches the rest of the house. In other words, two sides of this already exist and there is already a roof over it. All the builders would be doing is constructing the other two walls.

I don't understand it. The existing footprint of the house would not be increased.

Davesnave

You are altering the external appearance of the house at the front and therefore changing the street view, so yes, it *probably* does need permission, not that anyone would have done anything if you'd just gone ahead.

Still, you'll get a nice piece of paper to show buyers when you sell. Their alternative would have been to take out an indemnity policy for about £40, but they can't do that now, because you've alerted the council as to your intentions......and anyway, they're just theoretical.

Furts

Being pragmatic, one of the fundamentals of Planning is keeping any street scene looking harmonious and attractive, That is why Permitted Development can often be issues about roofs or back garden work - these are are not visible from the street. It follows that you wish to alter the front of your house, and quite rightly, your Local Authority want to know more about what you propose.

You cannot make the comment "the brickwork which matches the rest of the house". The bricks may no longer be manufactured, and one persons "match" can be quite different to another. So again a Local Authority can be wary here.

Charlton_King

Furts wrote: »

Being pragmatic, one of the fundamentals of Planning is keeping any street scene looking harmonious and attractive, That is why Permitted Development can often be issues about roofs or back garden work - these are are not visible from the street. It follows that you wish to alter the front of your house, and quite rightly, your Local Authority want to know more about what you propose.

You cannot make the comment "the brickwork which matches the rest of the house". The bricks may no longer be manufactured, and one persons "match" can be quite different to another. So again a Local Authority can be wary here.

I bow to your superior knowledge... in apparently knowing that somehow I could not possibly already have researched this...

Furts

Charlton_King wrote: »

I bow to your superior knowledge... in apparently knowing that somehow I could not possibly already have researched this...

It does not matter what you have researched, it does not matter how high and mighty you adopt your tone, the Planning process exists as an impartial process. That is why samples of bricks and roof tiles will typically be sought by the Planners as a Condition of Planning Approval. It is they you have to convince, and not me!

EachPenny

Furts wrote: »

It does not matter what you have researched, it does not matter how high and mighty you adopt your tone, the Planning process exists as an impartial process. That is why samples of bricks and roof tiles will typically be sought by the Planners as a Condition of Planning Approval. It is they you have to convince, and not me!

And of course it isn't just the bricks that need to match, the mortar also needs to be matched too. No doubt the OP knows this already though.

I was going to add some other information to help the OP, but I've just discovered something urgent to do.