Watty's Awakening

PennysIntoPounds

What a heart warming post all round, beaming for you and WattyDog and Most Handsome 🥂

Watty1

Email from planning consultant of choice, who may not now be "my first choice".  It is a very negative email, all about how I will need to show that commercial use has been explored (planning officer said verbally about the only thing the site was fit for was a holiday let and I could argue a holiday let was unrealistic on the proposed housing estate), and how single dwellings don't fit the National Planning Framework and that i need a whole raft of extras include a structural survey as the one I had done was 3 years ago - ahem - it is hardly likely to have changed as has been in situ for about 60 years, and I need new ecological surveys and a long list with a minimum quote of £4250 plus vat and plus the costs for lots of "extras" and reading it it sounds like he is suggesting I'd be lucky to get the planning.

Have never read such a negative view that closes say he can write an application justifying the application. 

I may interview a couple more but first will wait for the written response.

KajiKita

Agree on the structural survey - waste of time. The ecological might need doing / redoing as things can change in that way quite swiftly. 

Maybe this is a dumb question, but you are a savvy, professional and articulate person, who’s been dealing with this subject for some time now. Why are you looking at working with planning consultants?

KK

PennysIntoPounds

Is it worth emailing your contacts at the council and asking who they'd recommend?

Or even forwarding them that and asking if they still feel you proceeding with this would be a worthwhile way of adding another home to this community in a restricted space in an area that has so much to give and such a need for more varied housing to suit all the members of the community as per the councils stated ongoing aims? 

OpalGirl

Sometimes consultants/tradesmen quote high charges and flag lots of potential issues because they don't actually want to do the job but won't come out and actually tell you this - could this be the case here?

Watty1

Ah that is a good point @OpalGirl and one I had not considered. The very negative approach might be designed to put me off. Thank you.

@PennysIntoPounds I did ask the council if there was a consultant they would suggest but they said they could not comment although thinking about it I might look at the recent planning decisions and see if there is a firm that stands out.

And @KajiKita thank you for those really kind words about me.  I don't really see myself as "savvy, professional and articulate" so that bought me up short. I know of I have big issues around confidence and self esteem and self belief.  Anyway I thought I would get a professional in as I have once chance at this and I really really want to get it right and would hate to get a rejection on the basis of errors in the forms.   A bit like I use an accountant for my tax return really.

LadyWithAPlan

Watty1 said:

Ah that is a good point @OpalGirl and one I had not considered. The very negative approach might be designed to put me off. Thank you.

@PennysIntoPounds I did ask the council if there was a consultant they would suggest but they said they could not comment although thinking about it I might look at the recent planning decisions and see if there is a firm that stands out.

And @KajiKita thank you for those really kind words about me.  I don't really see myself as "savvy, professional and articulate" so that bought me up short. I know of I have big issues around confidence and self esteem and self belief.  Anyway I thought I would get a professional in as I have once chance at this and I really really want to get it right and would hate to get a rejection on the basis of errors in the forms.   A bit like I use an accountant for my tax return really.

I think looking ay the council and finding someone who has managed to 'win' with them is an excellent idea.

I also agree with KK - maybe take it as far as you feel you can then find someone ?

KajiKita

Watty1 said:

And @KajiKita thank you for those really kind words about me.  I don't really see myself as "savvy, professional and articulate" so that bought me up short. I know of I have big issues around confidence and self esteem and self belief.  Anyway I thought I would get a professional in as I have once chance at this and I really really want to get it right and would hate to get a rejection on the basis of errors in the forms.   A bit like I use an accountant for my tax return really.

That’s a good reason for using a professional 😊 Just don’t underestimate how much you have learned and absorbed over the past few years on this topic and make sure whoever you appoint works collaboratively with you 😊

KK

Watty1

Now that is a good point KK.  Think the chap that was my first choice has now been ditched. I will look for others but will wait for the letter from council first.

£75 won on PB.  Really pleased with this as winnings this year are sparse and I'm sure it would do better "invested" somehow however, I'm leaving the money in and continue to add to it each month as "there is always a chance" and more specifically this is for the animals. If I do not see it I do not count it in my overall plan of savings but it is a "safety net" of, currently, £14975 and have increased monthly payments by £50 per month as regular savings plan finished and I realise the money I pop in each month is way less than insuring the animals would be.  And of course if I insured I would not be in with a chance of Agent Million knocking on the door.  

KajiKita

I remember when you first got your PBs and what a relief it was to finally have an EF for looking after your animals 😊❤️

Well done on ditching that planning chap. You want someone who believes in the project and believe in it at least as much as you do 😊

KK