Planning Permission: Valid Objections

jellybubble

I've browsed some of the threads on here re planning permission. Am I right in thinking the developer/land owner's record is not a valid reason for an objection?

(I went to a residents' meeting and people were thinking of using this but I'm not sure it will help.)

Do people recommend paying private consultants in drafting objections? (Assuming you can get enough people to pay for it to be viable). Do they have a better success rate?

thanks

Doozergirl

That's not a valid objection, no.

List of valid and invalid objections here:
http://www.richmond.gov.uk/what_is_a_valid_objection_to_a_planning_application

"We cannot take into account matters which are sometimes raised but are not normally planning considerations such as:
Personal morals or views about the applicant."

A clear, bullet pointed list written by someone who can string a sentence together properly will be fine. The planning officers are looking at all the criteria themselves. A gentle nudge in the right direction will suffice.

SquatNow

What exactly in the "developer/land owner's record" might you use?

Might not be officially countable, but if you have other issues, it might be worth mentioning... the people on the planning committees are human and while they have rules to follow, they can easily be emotionally influenced, especially if it's a close call...

guppy

Apologies if you already read this post on the original thread, but I thought I'd cut and paste some of it since its relevant again:

Grounds for objection can be divided in to those specific to your house, and those factors affecting the locality generally...

Factors affecting your house:

- Loss of sunlight
- The view looking directly out of your windows (e.g. will you be facing a brick wall)
- Loss of privacy
- The extent to which the new house dominates your's or has an "oppressive effect" over your property/garden

You can also mention if relevant to your case:

- Excessive height of new development
- Loss of good quality trees
- Ugly materials to be used
- Design that is out of keeping with the area
- Overdevelopment of the neighbourhood
- Loss of open space in the locality

If you feel strongly or are worried, you could try talking to duty planning officer (some are good, some are terrible) or your local councillor (likewise).

Good luck

SquatNow

:rotfl: Loss a vaule of my house????

Debt_Free_Chick

jellybubble wrote: »

Do people recommend paying private consultants in drafting objections? (Assuming you can get enough people to pay for it to be viable). Do they have a better success rate?

Paying a planning consultant can help - but you can do what they do, yourself if you have the inclination and energy.

You need to get hold of the Local Development Plan (LDP) for the area and read it. Ideally, all of it - but particularly the part about housing, assuming the development is for housing.

The LDP will give you "ammunition" as it lists the Planning Authority's (Council's) planning policies - what they will look on favourably and what they will consider to be unacceptable. You then measure the plans for the development against these policies and deliberately look for features in the development out of line with the policies. In the letter of objection, simply list the features and state that it is "not consisent with policies x, y & z".

To help find your way through the planning policies, look at refusals issued by the Council as they must now list the reasons for refusal and quote the planning policy(ies) which apply to the reasons.

Some areas e.g. rural, green belt have a policy of "no new development" at all but if this doesn't apply, remember that some development is likely to succeed. It's a case of the developer putting the right kind of plans to the Council and, possibly, the Council imposing some conditions. If your aim is to prevent the developer doing anything at all, that's unlikely to succeed.

HTH

UncleMonty_2

Debt_Free_Chick wrote: »

Paying a planning consultant can help - but you can do what they do, yourself if you have the inclination and energy.

You need to get hold of the Local Development Plan (LDP) for the area and read it. Ideally, all of it - but particularly the part about housing, assuming the development is for housing.

The LDP will give you "ammunition" as it lists the Planning Authority's (Council's) planning policies - what they will look on favourably and what they will consider to be unacceptable. You then measure the plans for the development against these policies and deliberately look for features in the development out of line with the policies. In the letter of objection, simply list the features and state that it is "not consisent with policies x, y & z".

To help find your way through the planning policies, look at refusals issued by the Council as they must now list the reasons for refusal and quote the planning policy(ies) which apply to the reasons.

Some areas e.g. rural, green belt have a policy of "no new development" at all but if this doesn't apply, remember that some development is likely to succeed. It's a case of the developer putting the right kind of plans to the Council and, possibly, the Council imposing some conditions. If your aim is to prevent the developer doing anything at all, that's unlikely to succeed.

HTH

Damn. My five years at uni were wasted

guppy

UncleMonty wrote: »

Damn. My five years at uni were wasted

Yes, but I bet the drinking and shagging was fun though.